


Ambages

by Setchel



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Biting, Dark, Dubious Consent, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Grinding, Romance, Sex, Slow Burn, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:22:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 70,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24298804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Setchel/pseuds/Setchel
Summary: Two days after the battle of Crait, Rose is delighted to be assigned to be the First Order spy's contact. But her loyalties are called into question when she finds out that the spy is non other that general Armitage Hux, the mastermind behind the destruction of her home world and her sworn enemy.Non canon. Rating may change.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Finn
Comments: 44
Kudos: 82





	1. Introduction

Rose woke up to the sounds of machines beeping and whirring. Her head felt like a bag of wet sand, hearing her own pulse pounding in her ears. 

She tried to recall what happened before she blacked out. 

They were all on Crait, she had just saved Finn- and kissed him? She felt heat rising to her cheeks. Did I really do that? She did like Finn, but she didn’t plan on telling him that till the perfect moment arrived.

Rose remembered being caught up in the heat of battle and thinking that she wouldn’t make it had kissed him. And now that she was alive? She would have to live with the embarrassment and awkwardness if he didn't actually feel the same way. 

But how did she wind up here? And where was she even? They were in the middle of the battlefield when she blacked out, right in front of the First Order cannon. 

Did Finn carry her all the way back to the base? Rose felt butterflies in her stomach. Maybe there is a chance she thought hopefully as she opened her eyes.

Blinking hard against the bright, white light Rose sat up slowly and took in her surroundings. She was in a cave full of medical machinery.

Relaxing a little when she recognized the equipment to be the antiques that the Resistance used, Rose slowly stood up, wincing when she felt exactly how sore her body was.

Just then, an out of date medical droid wheeled in and stopped just in front of her, scanning over her body and flashing a green all-clear signal. 

At last you’re awake, sergeant Tico. How are you feeling?”

“Hey, B6T3. I feel like I was mauled by a rancor.” She smiled, happy to see a familiar droid. ”How long was I out for?” 

“You have been unconscious for two standard days. If I may make a suggestion, walking around the base might help alleviate the soreness you are currently feeling. It is an unfortunate symptom of the IBC treatment we had to administer. You are cleared to leave the Med-bay whenever you wish, Miss Tico." 

Rose headed out the door "Oh, and general Leia wishes to see you when you are ready.” 

“Thanks," Rose said, waving at the droid as she left.

After meeting with the quartermaster Rose was given her own room with an attached fresher and a box of fresh clothing. And after unpacking her new belongings and showering, she arrived at Leia’s office door and was about to knock when Rey appeared in the doorway.

“Oh, sorry.” Rose said quickly, but Rey held up a hand and smiled cheerily.

“It’s ok. I was just leaving.” 

Leia came to the door and welcomed Rose in. “How are you feeling?”

“A little sore, but I’m ok.” Leia looked relieved at that. She gestured for Rose to take a seat before sitting down herself. 

“I’m glad to hear that.” Leia smiled warmly. “I’m sure you’re wondering what happened after Crait. Only a handful of us survived, Rey- She saved us and we came here to Ajan Kloss, an old mining base that my father considered using as a rebel base during the days of the Empire.” 

Rose nodded, taking in all the new information. “As soon as people found out we survived we have been receiving regular shipments of supplies donated by Resistance sympathizers and Finn and Poe have been out trying to get new recruits.”

Leia paused, gathering her thoughts. “We also received a message from a spy, a First Order spy.”

“What did they say?” Rose gasped. First Order defectors were rare.

“Not much, other than a list of rules. They only wish to speak to one person, only that person will know their identity, meetings will be done in person, all exchanged information must be memorized and not written down.”

“We also received a file containing highly technical First Order weapons schematics which we put onto this. It needs to be combed through for useful information” Leia held up a data pad and continued.

“I know this is a lot to ask, and it could be dangerous but-” 

“I’ll do it!” Rose cut her off excitedly. This was her chance to do something great for the people she loved! And for the people the First Order had already taken away from her.

Leia smiled at the younger woman's eagerness “Thank you, Rose. Hue, Thanya, and Paige would be proud of you.” She said as she clasped Rose’s hands in hers and gave them a comforting squeeze.

Rose felt her eyes become watery at the mention of her family and blinked them away. She would mourn for them after she defeated the First Order. 

-

Rose was led to her workbench in the hangar, tucked away behind a wall of supply boxes to give her some solitude while she worked. It was perfect for her, Rose was practically beaming when she sat down. 

Soon, She would be working with a spy, fighting to take down the First Order from the inside. With jittery fingers, she opened the datapad and hailed the spy, pausing over the keyboard. What should she say? She cringed and quickly typed in something, hitting send before she had the chance to second guess herself.

{Hello}

She waited, feeling nervous excitement. But the spy didn’t answer, she sighed and turned off the device. Of course he wouldn’t answer, he was probably busy hijacking valuable intel. 

She sighed again and opened the data file, curiously skimming through the schematics. Gaping at the sheer amount of it all, the spy had been so immaculately through, it made her wonder how high in command this spy even was. 

Most of the schematics were deadly but beautiful, some of them just pure genius. Evil genius. It was a gold mine of information for Rose and she was eager to soak it all in. 

One name kept popping up in all the schematics, that of general Armitage Hux. Rose frowned, she hated him, he was her sworn enemy. He had taken so many loved ones away from her. He was someone that took pleasure in other people’s pain. She shuddered as she remembered him mocking her aboard the Supremacy.

Remembering his horrible, hate filled speech right before ordering the deaths of billions of lives in the Hosnian system made her feel sick and she closed the datafile, wondering how many innocent people he tested his weapons on. He was a monster, a cold hearted monster. 

Whenever she thought of the First Order, she would always picture his face. Rose clenched her fists, vowing that someday she would take Hux down and with the spy’s help, maybe that would be sooner than she expected. 

-On the Steadfast-

Hux just finished his shift and was standing in his private quarters. The day’s events had been displeasing. Ren had been utterly obsessed with hunting down the scavenger, focusing all resources on that despite Hux’s protests and threw him against a durasteel wall for voicing his concerns. 

He poured himself a glass of fine Corellian whiskey and dabbed his split lip with a napkin. Noticing that he had a message on his private, heavily encrypted datapad, he got up and checked it, It was the resistance. At least something was going the way he wanted, he sniffed. He read the message, Hello. Hello? Hello?! Insufferable, unprofessional, disgusting, and disorderly rebels!

When he will be appointed Supreme Leader he will have them all executed starting with their precious princess. An unwanted memory flashed to the forefront of his memory, the Haysian girl on her knees before him those eyes glaring at him flashing vicious fire. He poured another drink, trying to forget those eyes that have been haunting him since the Supremacy two days ago. 

When he first saw her, he was caught off guard by her. But her eyes were what enchanted him, there was a spark in them that told him that she was ready and willing to die for the ones she loved. He hated her eyes, they taunted him, telling him that he would never have someone like her. 

He wanted to see the spark disappear, and he seized his chance when she dropped her medallion. He instantly recognized it for what it was and taunted her, trying to see that spark fade. But he was caught off guard again when she lashed out with even more fire in her eyes, challenging him. 

Hux carefully pulled off his leather glove, observing the crescent wound on his finger, when he wrenched his hand free, he tore the flesh of his finger. He decided to keep the scar as a reminder of those enchanting eyes.

He knew she was alive of course, he had seen how she escaped her execution on the security feed. He also checked the rebel bodies on Crait and didn’t see her among them. He wondered where she was as he sent a response to the resistance. 

-Ajan Kloss-

Hearing the pinging sound from her datapad, she looked down and saw that the spy had answered her.


	2. Chapter One: Pick a safer place.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Hux meet for the first time!

-Ajan Kloss-

{{Do you agree to the terms?}} The spy asked. 

{Yeah} She typed up quickly, feeling giddy about talking with the spy, wiping her sweaty palms on her thighs.

{{Your answer is atrocious, rebel. Yes, or no?}} 

{Yes.} The spy was definitely less approachable than she expected him to be.

{{Very well. Give me your code name}}

{Thorn.] That was her nickname back on Hays Minor, before the First Order’s blockade.

{{Order.}} Rose rolled her eyes, this spy definitely has a stick up his ass. 

{How creative.}

{{Pay attention. Do not hail me, I will always hail you first. When I hail you, I will send you this code. TO-749J, and your response code will be I7G-09. Memorize them and do not write them down.}} 

Rose quickly scrambled for something to write the codes down on, finding a piece of flimsy and a pencil in one of the drawers. Grumbling to herself like hell she wouldn’t write it down, she sucked at memorizing codes.

{{I will hail you tomorrow at 0600 for coordinates for our rendezvous. Signing off.}}

Rose stared at the datapad screen for a few minutes. Was that all? Just a list of instructions? No new groundbreaking information? She sighed. Maybe tomorrow morning will be different, Rose thought hopefully.

Hearing her stomach growl loudly, she checked her chrono, it was almost time for dinner. Rose sighed and opened the datafile, starting the tedious task of data combing to waste time until dinner was served in the mess hall. 

When she looked at her chrono again she was surprised to see that it was already 30 minutes passed. 

Quickly stowing away her datapad in her workbench drawer she made her way down to the mess hall, excited to eat after two days of unconsciousness. 

The mess hall was filled with the sounds of people chatting eagerly and the clanking of utensils on plates. The familiarity of it brought a smile to Rose’s lips as she got a tray and looked for a place to sit, finally settling on a spot in between the jedi, Rey and a space slug. 

She was quickly scarfing down her meal when Rey noticed her, setting her fork down as a smile of recognition crossed her face. 

“Hey, you’re Finn’s friend. I’m Rey.” she said, holding up her hand. 

“I-I’m Rose” she was caught slightly off guard that a Resistance war hero like Rey would notice a nobody engineer like her.

“Finn tells me a lot about you.” Rose drew in a breath. 

“Does he? I-I mean he actually told me a lot about you too,” Hiding a blush behind her mug of caf, Rose smiled, maybe he does like her after all. 

Rey laughed at that. Rose took a bite of her noodles,“Hmm this is amazing!” She didn’t realize how hungry she had been. 

“I know right!” Rey said enthusiastically.

Rose smiled sadly, lost in thought, she had heard the stories of how Rey grew up all alone on Jakku, surviving only off of portions. Anything must taste good to her after living like that. 

“Are you the one who invented the Baffler?” Rey asked, interrupting her thoughts. 

“Oh, you heard of that?” Rose laughed, blushing self consciously. 

“It’s amazing!” How could a war hero like Rey think a simple invention such as the Baffler was amazing? Rose felt pride over the compliment. 

“Thanks. but honestly, I think what you do is so much more amazing.” Rose continued 

“I mean, a Jedi? Who fought Kylo Ren and beat him? I don't think I can compete with that.” Rey laughed.

As they chatted, Rose realized that they actually had a lot of things in common, easily bonding over mechanics and engineering. She smiled, feeling that they would soon become good friends. 

After dinner, they both walked outside together, looked over the forest, talking well into the evening. The conversation fell into a comfortable silence as they watched people walking around in the valley below them.

Rey sighed wearily and looked down at her boots “Honestly, I wish I didn't have it sometimes, force powers I mean. I'm having trouble learning to control powers.” She grimaced, thinking about something. 

Rose was curious but didn't press the matter. She didn’t even know what having force powers meant other than being able to use a lightsaber. 

“Can I tell you something?” Rey looked up into her eyes and she couldn’t help feeling slightly uncomfortable, feeling as though Rey could see straight through to her inner thoughts. Was that a force power? Mind reading? Rose gulped and nodded, mildly surprised that Rey would want to confide in her so readily. 

“Sometimes I get visions, or force bonds that I can’t control..." Rey broke eye contact, and looked at her slightly calloused, scarred hands. 

"General Leia said that control will come with time. but, I'm not so sure.” Rey finished, shaking her head.

“What are force connections?” Rose asked after a pause. Rey scrunched up her nose, trying to come up with the best explanation to something she didn’t even fully understand. 

“I’m not completely sure what they are, or why they work, but they are force connections that connect and bond two force sensitive people together. You can see them and they can see you, but not their surroundings.” 

Rose wanted to ask who Rey would even be bonded with, but Rey seemed uncomfortable just thinking about it. So she decided not to press the subject, Rey would tell her eventually. 

“Well, that sounds like it would suck. I'm sorry to hear that." She paused, trying to be as comforting as she could. "But, I’m sure you’ll figure out how to control it soon,” Rose gave Rey a comforting smile along with a tight hug. 

"Thanks," Rey said as they drew apart, she seemed relieved that Rose didn't try to press the subject. 

-

Working on broken starships always helped Rose relax. It was something about the familiar process of methodically diagnosing problems and fixing them that was soothing to her. 

She worked well into the night by herself in the hangar, only checking her chrono after hearing the satisfying hum of a perfectly calibrated engine. She did a double take when she saw it was 2 AM already and quickly grabbed her datapad and headed off to shower and sleep.

It took her a long time to fall asleep, feeling nervous about the next day's meeting. She knew she would do whatever it takes to take down the First Order. 

Rose fell asleep imagining the day that she would be standing over Armitage Hux on his knees, defeated and forcing him to stand trial for all his crimes.

x

It was the desperate pinging from her datapad that woke Rose up, she cursed whoever it was as she felt around on the floor for the damned thing with her eyes still closed. 

When she picked it up and was who it was she gasped and bolted out of bed. She was nine minutes late, and the spy had sent her a stream of cleverly crafted insults after she had failed to answer him the first time. 

Rose frantically rummaged around her room for the piece of flimsy that had the code on it and inputted it with shaky fingers once she found the damn thing. 

{{Thorn! I expect prompt answers when I hail you! If you can’t be bothered to wake up on time, may I suggest going to bed earlier so you don’t miss your beauty sleep!}} Rose cringed at the spy’s harsh reprimand. He was right, of course, that was really unprofessional. 

{Sorry} She mentally berated herself, that couldn’t happen again. 

{{Meet me on Coruscant, Level 19, block 3 in the Red Strip District in 5 hours. Signing off}} Coruscant in 5 hours that was cutting it close? would she make it in time? She quickly got dressed, grabbed a mug of caf from the mess hall and signed out a ship and set a course for Coruscant in record time. 

The NavComputer said they would be planet side in 4.78 hours barely making it in time. Rose felt nervous about the meeting. The location was pretty dangerous Level 19 was already quite low and especially in the Red Strip District. She wondered what business the spy had there, and hoped that the meeting wouldn't take too long. 

She wouldn’t want to be caught without a blaster there. Wait...She panicked and checked the ship for a blastor. It was standard protocol to keep a blaster in every ship but sometimes people forgot to return them. Kriff. Her heart sank and she cursed her bad luck. Some dummy forgot to return it!

Maybe she wouldn’t have to use a blaster. Yeah right, this is the Red Strip District. She's bound to get mugged by desperate criminals or spice users, or worse... 

Rose hoped that the spy would be able to protect her if anything happened to her. Maybe they would get along and she would make a new friend. Maybe they were one of the good guys forced to work for the First Order. She hoped they were, and not one of the evil officers that liked bullying people and watching people suffer. 

Time passed too quickly for Rose, and by the time she landed, her hands were sweaty and her knees were shaking from anxious nerves. She was going to see the spy face to face, a First Order officer. Could it be a trap? Some scheme to get information? If it is a trap she would never tell them anything, she thought defiantly as she made her way to the rendezvous point.

-

“I am sure you will enjoy working with us, Mr. Jettur. You will find that we are quite accommodating.” Hux stood up and offered his hand to the man on the other side of his desk. The man took the proffered hand and shook it, avoiding his gaze. “And may I offer my most sincere condolences on the disappearance of your family.” 

The man stood up and bowed timidly “T-thank you General hux, sir.” He quickly scurried out of the office. Hux watched him go with a disgusted curl of his lips. Pathetic. Weak. The man was a small proprietor of a mining company in the Larrin Sector that just struck a particularly rich vein of Farium. 

“How old are the children?” he asked, turning to his aid, “4 and 6, sir.” he said, clearing his throat. Hux considered this. “Excellent, see to it that his wife is returned and the children begin indoctrination. And process this.” he gestured to the signed papers on his desk as he moved towards the door “I have some business to attend to, I will meet you on the Steadfast.” he sighed, as he left the First Order Coruscant offices and headed to the turbo lifts. 

He felt excitement begin to rise inside him. His day had been supremely boring up until this point and now he could meet the contact and start his grand plan of freeing the First Order from Rens clutches. 

Checking his chrono. Right on schedule. He smiled self assuredly as he stepped out of the lift on level 19 and waited in the shadows for the rebel contact and activated his security camera disruptor and waited. 

The shops lined one side of the street with barred windows and flickering signs above them. On the other side of the street was an apartment building, the few dark figures that moved through the streets walked quickly with purpose, keeping their heads down. 

The rebel was ten minutes late already! Internally cursing at the rebels apparent propensity for disorder and general lack of professionalism. He couldn’t wait until he wouldn’t have to deal with those scum. 

If Hux wasn’t as in control of himself his jaw would have dropped when he saw the finger biter leave the turbo lift. He clenched his jaw, this insect was his contact! He sneered at the thought, rubbing his bitten finger. Not forgetting the humiliation she had caused him, he would greatly enjoy her execution. 

He sighed in frustration. As long as she was his contact, he would try to be civil - as long as she didn’t try to bite him again. Hux observed her for a moment and saw the discomfort and uneasiness on her face, and felt something stir inside him. Irritated that fear was written across her face, she was supposed to be defiant and challenging. 

He scowled, knowing he would have to schedule their meetings to somewhere more safe next time.

He hated that her eyes were fearful they should be defiant and challenging. He missed that spark in her eyes.

He felt anger wash through him when a group of three human thugs passed by and loomed over her. She shuddered and wrapped her jacket tighter around herself. He tightened his gloved hands into fists at his sides. How dare they, that was his contact! 

This rebel rodent severely lacked any sort of discretion and obviously looked out of place. She was bound to get accosted or worse.

Hux stepped out of the shadows. Walking at a brisk pace to grab her arm and pull her along to put distance between the girl and the three humans.

Rose let out a small yelp when she felt a hand roughly grabbing her elbow, pulling her along at a quick pace down the street. When she came to her senses, she wrenched her hand from their grasp, gasping when the figure turned and glared down at her, it was Hux!

The vile monster! Rose backed away and turned to run before he caught her elbow again. Her skin tingled where he touched, it reminded her of the many lives lost by his doing. His hand tightened painfully around her elbow when she tried to free herself again, bringing tears to her eyes. 

“Thorn.” He said in a low, threatening, quiet voice. Letting her know that he was indeed the First Order spy, she felt her breath becoming shallow as realization washed over her. General Hux was the spy! 

She couldn’t be his contact, she just couldn’t! She wouldn’t work with Hux, he had taken so much from her, her whole family and friends. He was the principal figurehead of the whole First Order! 

Rose felt her knees weakening and Hux took that as a sign of her cooperation, practically dragging her along with him at his brisk march, the tails of his coat billowing at the fast pace. She sluggishly followed along behind him on her feeble legs.

After a minute of walking Rose started pulling away again, drawing attention to them and he turned sharply to her snarling down at her “Could you possibly be anymore obvious?” his accent rolled off his tongue thickly in his agitation. 

“Then let me go.” Rose hissed back matching the venom in his voice, stepping forward in his face, challenging him. 

Hux was taken aback, he looked into her eyes and saw the same enchanting fire and the challenge in them that he missed. He contemplated her for a moment masking his admiration for her. Maybe it was good that she escaped his execution. Perhaps he would even consider keeping her alive when he won the war. It was refreshing to talk to her.

He masked a small grin and continued walking, but didn’t let go.They kept up their brisk walk for another minute before he checked behind them and relaxed a fraction.

Letting go of her arm completely after another minute and clasping his hands behind his back, he kept his swift pace. Rose took a moment to study him, he had pale, sharp cheekbones, his cap covered most of his bright ginger hair and he wore his characteristic sneer, making him look just as menacing as when he declared war on the New Republic.

Rose almost had to jog to keep up with him. Hux noticed this and slowed down to a more reasonable pace to accommodate her shorter legs.

When he spoke again his voice reminded her of all the holovids of his hateful speeches and she wondered if she really had the strength to do this. Could she be his contact? Could she even speak civilly with him without losing her temper? He was her sworn enemy, she would never forgive what he did to her homeworld. 

“Are you listening to me, Thorn?” Hux snapped impatiently. Rose shook her head, was he saying something?

He glared daggers down at her, she hadn’t heard a single word he said and he knew it. Rose wondered if he recognized her as the girl who snuck aboard his ship and humiliated him in front of hundreds of his subordinates. Rose suppressed a grin at the memory, Hux noticed and furrowed his ginger brows and frowned in confusion. 

“Sorry” Rose muttered out of habit. Although she just wished she could leave and ignore his valuable information out of spite, she couldn’t. She couldn’t fail her friends.

His brows furrowed deeper in confusion, trying to figure out her odd behavior. 

“Focus.” he threatened again before clearing his throat and starting over again in a quiet voice so only she could hear. 

“As I was saying, Ren is reuniting the Knights of Ren. He is hunting for the scavenger girl from Jakku. He is fanatically obsessed with her for some reason.” Rose frowned. He’s hunting for Rey? 

“He is currently on Entralla investigating a false lead. He is drawing valuable resources away from much needed weapons development programs to his foolish fancies” 

Understanding washed over Rose, Hux wasn’t doing this for the Resistance. He was doing it because he hated Ren. Was that it? Just a grudge? 

“Is that why you’re betraying the First Order, Because of Ren? What about the Hyperspace tracker?” Hux’s eyes instantly snapped down to her. Red faced with rage and his lip curling in distaste and anger at her failure to follow his orders and focus, the muscles in his jaw tensed. 

“Focus, varmint!” He snapped, the warning was clear in his voice that there were dire consequences if she didn’t follow his orders again. Rose’s hands trembled and she stuck them into her pockets and hid the fear from her face with a defiant glare. 

They walked on for a while longer and Rose made sure to stay quiet and listen not wanting to elicit his wrath if she didn’t follow his orders again.

“The order is concentrating recruitment in the Bryx Sector. We-” They just rounded a corner when a hand reached out and grabbed Rose by the wrist. She jumped and looked up to see who it was. It was a human male, his clothes were ripped and dirty, his eyes were blue rimmed and yellowing, obviously hyped up on some kind of spice. 

Panic filled her when he started to pull her closer, locking her in a death grip and she looked frantically up at Hux for help. 

Hux felt himself losing what little patience he had left after the girl kept disobeying his orders. And now this filth was touching HIS contact! 

“Come here sexy.” The spice user slurred down at Rose. 

“Let me go!” She said fiercely, trying to free her wrist from his clammy grasp.

“You know you wanna” He was slowly pulling her closer, being half a head taller and weighing more than her he had the advantage and was slowly winning the battle. 

“Release her.” Hux said casually and put a hand on her shoulder protectively. 

The spice user released her, making her lose her balance and fall on the street. 

What happened next filled her with horror and she quickly placed her hands over her mouth to hold in a scream. 

As soon as he let her go, Hux acted quickly and stabbed a knife into his side. Rose didn’t even know he had been holding it. The spice user cried out and collapsed holding his side, slowly clambering up and backed away into the alley behind him almost falling over again. 

Hux offered a hand down to Rose and furrowed his brows in confusion when she scrambled backwards away from him recoiling in fear. Feeling a faint whisper of something inside him other than anger, he breathed out a long calming sigh and quickly snatched her arm before she could pull away. He hauled her up abruptly and carefully inspected the spot where the spice user had touched her, stroking his gloved thumb over the spot gently. 

Rose blinked up at him in shock, did that just happen? He just hurt someone for no reason, the spice user had let her go. She had to go help him now, he was still a person and needed help. Her stare morphed into an enraged glare, how could he hurt someone without a second thought?

“Why did you do that?” Rose asked after she found her voice again. He just hurt a person without a second thought

“A quick death is too good for that filth.” he said casually. Missing her question entirely. 

“We have to do something!” She started down the alley but Hux held fast. 

“He isn’t worth it. He will be dead by morning” Hux said, dismissing the whole incident. Hux held the knife up to show her “Poison.” he smirked in pride at the look on her face. 

Rose quickly whacked his hand, sending the blade flying into a trash heap in the ally. 

He stared where it had flown shocked , before bearing down on her red faced “Thorn! I-”

“No!” She stopped his tirade before he could start and leaned forward and poked a finger into his chest “That won’t happen ever again or I will leave right now and never meet you again! I don’t care how helpful you are to us!” 

Hux was taken aback and took a moment to school his facial features. His rebel had just dared to fight with him even though she was obviously weaker than him, he should just make her go and demand another contact. 

But he did like her spirit and if not hurting people while she was around meant that she would meet him then he would try it. He sniffed and adjusted his gloves, scrutinizing her through his lashes. Rose stood, crossing her arms and glaring up at him with a heated gaze “Very well, I stand by and interfere next time street filth tries to carry you off.” 

Rose gasped and faltered, almost sputtering “That’s not what I meant,Hux, and you know it!” She sulked, nearly pouting. Hux masked a grin, she was too easy to play with and although he would never admit it to anyone, she was cute when she was angry. 

Hux raised an eyebrow feigning confusion. Rose sighed “Just don’t hurt people unless you really have to ok?” his mood soured slightly, detesting being ordered to do anything. He clenched his jaw to keep from saying something biting, he didn’t want her to leave yet at least. 

Hux was about to answer in the affirmative but noticed Rose shudder when more people walked by, leering down at her. This place really wasn’t safe for her, he will have to choose a more secluded place next time. 

Rose flinched when Hux clasped her arm “keep walking” She let him pull her along. 

“Could you have picked a nicer meeting place?” she hissed at him. He glared down at her irritated by her criticizing his choice. 

“If I had known the resistance would be moronic enough to send someone as ill prepared as you, I would have!” his hand tightened around her arm when she moved to try to free it.

“Let go of me, Hux!” She dug her heels in the ground and tried wrenching her arm free again, his grip hardened painfully. 

Hux leaned his long body over her and whispered in her ear. “Believe me I would rather not touch a disgusting Otomok rodent such as yourself, but as it stands, you garner less attention to yourself in this fashion.”

Rose gasped and turned to face him, “You knew!” Only then realizing how close their faces were and felt heat rising to her cheeks. Rose saw his mask falter slightly and his throat bobbed up and down, before he controlled his features and morphed it into a mocking grin, tilting his head to the side. 

“Of course, how could I forget the rabid finger biter.” he asked rhetorically. Rose grinned at the memory, momentarily forgetting who exactly she was talking to. 

“You deserved it. Next time you’ll remember not to touch things that don’t belong to you.” Rose’s eyes widened as soon as she said those words, realizing how bad that sounded. 

At those words a slightly pained expression crossed over his face before he quickly hid it and plastered a smirk on his lips at sight of her mortified face, but his ears were tinged with pink. 

Rose allowed him to drag her along with him grimacing, trying to reduce the heat from her cheeks “So, um the intel?” she frowned at her unclearly formed sentence. 

Hux relaxed his grip on her arm, happy to change the subject he continued his briefing. Pulling her into his side when another group of people passed them by, Rose tensed, discomfort written all over her face.

As Hux continued talking, Rose felt the adrenaline wearing off and she mulled over what had happened. Hux had just stabbed someone right in front of her. Would that happen to her if she ever crossed him? How many more knives does he have on him? He probably had a whole arsenal hidden in his greatcoat. What if he gets angry at her? He was a murderer and a heartless monster. 

She focused on the spot where he was holding her, her skin tingling and felt warm, almost burning. Feeling her hands and knees shaking, she noticed that her breath had become short and uneven. She hid her hands in her pockets again, a nervous gesture. 

Hux surveyed her out of the corner of his eyes when he finished his briefing, something was troubling her. He frowned, unsure what it was. 

As they walked back to the turbo lifts, Hux made her repeat what she had said to him word for word until it was perfect by his high standards. 

In the turbo lift, Hux turned to her, frowning when she flinched under his gaze, and he was irritated by that, she was his contact.

“What floor?” He asked, piercing her with his cold, stormy gaze. 

“Um, 57” She was surprised and a little unsettled by the fact that he was escorting her to her ship. 

Glancing up at Hux, Rose studied him for a brief moment, noticing how sharp his features were under the dimmed turbo lift light. His face held that cruel, heartless mask, the same he always wore one all of his holovids. His stormy eyes glittered with hidden rage and an unsatisfying drive.

When the turbo lift arrived on the 57th floor, Hux watched the rebel scurry out and followed at his out pace and noticed with interest her look of trepidation when she turned around realizing that he came along her and didn’t stay in the lift. 

He looked at her with a mocking expectation when she opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again, thinking better of it and turned to head to her ship without looking back. She quickly started up her ship and flew away leaving Hux standing on the landing pad, watching her ship shrinking into a small speck in the distance. 

He chuckled darkly and opened a control panel beside her ship and accessed the ship's coded flight history. Plugging in a device, he loaded the information onto it and stuck it in the inside pocket of his greatcoat.

As soon as Rose plotted a course for Ajan Kloss, she leaned back in her seat, breathing out a sigh of relief and went over the details of the meeting. 

She remembered the spice user’s horrible scream as the knife pierced his side, the sound the knife made when he pulled it out, and the spice user struggling to stand, stumbling through the dark alley. 

How could Hux do that? The spice user had let her go, he didn’t need to hurt him. Did Hux just get some sort of sick enjoyment out of hurting people? Rose felt herself becoming sick and ran to the fresher, throwing up. 

She rinsed her mouth out and stared at herself in the mirror, noticing tear streaks running down her cheeks and quickly wiped them away. Hux wasn’

Hux probably enjoyed it. The same way he had enjoyed mocking her, back on the Supremacy when he remembered what he had done to her family. Hux was a sick bastard, a monster. He was pure evil. Rose hoped that someday she would be able to hurt him as much as he hurt her. 

x.

After making her report to Leia, She stopped by the mess hall to grab a quick snack and headed to the hangar intending to do some relaxing repair work but was disappointed to see that she wasn’t alone. 

Someone was tinkering behind a downed speeder near the workstation in the centre of the hangar. After further investigation Rose was happy to find that it was Rey who was working there. 

Rose took a moment to watch the other woman. Smiling faintly and shaking her head slightly, tools and scraps surrounded Rey, easily within arms reach; just like Rose when she was working on something. 

“Hey.” Rose sighed. Setting her datapad on the table and jumping up to sit on the edge, feet dangling. Fighting hard to suppress a chuckle as Rey comically hit her head when she jumped up from under the hood, not realizing Rose had entered the room. 

“Sorry.” Rose cringed, that must hurt. 

“I didn’t see you there!” Rey laughed despite the slight pain from hitting her head. Rey's eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of her friend before morphing into concern.

“Are you alright?” Did Rose really look that bad?

“Yeah, I just had a long day.” Rose reassured as she picked up a hydrospanner and handed it to her. 

Rey beamed as she took it, it was just the tool she needed to and ducked down under the hood again. Rose sighed tiredly. 

“I was sent on a mission to meet the First Order spy, and had an unpleasant run in with a spice user...that’s all.” Rey's head popped up at that, scanning over Rose for any signs of injury.

“But you’re ok, right?” Rose nodded 

“Yeah. The spy helped me.” Rey relaxed at that. 

"Awe, the spy sounds like a real hero." she teased. Rose chuckled dryly. 

"No, far from it." a comfortable silence fell over the two. Rose grimaced at the memory, Hux was most definitely not the hero. She was grateful for his help and all. But...he should care about people’s lives. 

Rey ducked behind the speeder again. Rose sat there listening to her cursing over a stubborn bolt that refused to budge, wondering why on earth Ren wanted Rey so badly that he was ignoring the rest of the First Order’s needs. Was he just obsessed or was there something more between them? 

Leia had told Rey as soon as Rose relayed Hux’s information.

Rose worried for Rey and hoped she would never be caught by the man, wondering how Rey could be so calm about it. Rose knew that she would be terrified of someone was hunting her down with such a reckless, driving passion. 

-Steadfast-

Hux sat in the dark in his office on the Steadfast, his fingers flew over the datapad sitting in front of him typing away, decoding the rebel ship’s flight codes. It was complex and very few could crack ship codes, the information was only meant for specific ship maintenance droids to decode but Hux had long since found the technique to be useful and had taught himself. 

When he finished he breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair, picking up the whiskey glass that was sitting on a coaster on his desk and took a sip. 

The little Otomok rodent was on Ajan Kloss along the rest of her rebel scum. That information will be useful when he becomes Supreme Leader, he would order an assault on their base and have them all killed. They were pests to the First Order.

He took off his leather glove and examined the healing flesh, thinking of the rodents eyes.

He knew he would allow the finger biter to live, maybe even allow her to roam free on his ship; after he made her pay for biting him and embarrassing him, of course.


	3. Chapter Two: New Beginnings.

The pneumatic door hissed shut behind her as she took in the grim sight of her bedroom. 

In her haste she had left her it a complete mess with tools and a few articles of clothing strewn on the floor. Hell, It's always a mess, she huffed to herself.  
She sighed tiredly and started cleaning, remembered how Paige would sometimes get frustrated by her bad habits. Especially when they shared a room together and made her clean up all her ship manuals that she would leave out while studying. To Rose, it was organized chaos. 

She was moving all her tools off the floor and onto her dresser when her comms pinged, having just received a message from Hux.   
Opening the chat comms she typed in the response code he had given her. Having partially memorized it already.

{{Have you arrived on base?}}

{Yeah, Why?} 

{{That is not an adequate answer, Thorn. Answer correctly, not all of us are as barbaric as you vermin. Yes, or no?}} 

She was definitely not in the mood for Hux’s crap tonight, she was exhausted. She growled and typed up her next answer quickly, hitting send before she could regret it. 

{Yes! I landed my ship on base. I got out of said ship, then I went straight to the Generals office. I did not look at anyone, or talk to anyone. I did not pass ‘go’ and collect two hundred credits. Once I arrived at the General's office, I made my verbal report to her. Happy?} 

Hux didn’t respond for a long time. she smirked, hoping that she hurt his pride at least a little.

{{Immensely. You’re not such a blundering idiot after all.}} She almost threw her datapad at the wall.

{And you’re still a stuck up, cold hearted monster!} she sent it without thinking and regretted it immediately. He could refuse intel, making her fail her mission and her friends. 

{Sorry} she sent just as his reply came in. 

{{You insufferable rebel scum! I should have let that spice user have his grubby little way with you! Next time I won't be so generous with your life, you’re a waste of space and my time.}} Rose gasped. That comment stung. Would he really?

{{Apology accepted.}} She shook her head. He's everything that's evil about the First Order. Evil. 

{signing off} Talking with him would only end in more fighting and more tears on her part. 

She turned off her datapad and turned it down so she couldn’t see the indicator flashing. “Fuck that bastard.” she whispered to her empty room after she heard another ping from her datapad. 

She angrily took a shower, trying to scrub off the memories of that day and then curled up into her blankets.

Rose fell into a fitful sleep. Dreaming of the Red Strip District and spice users. 

X

Kneeling down on the hard, blsck floor of the Supremacy Rose glared defiantly up at Hux, recoiling from her vicious bite. His face morphed from shock to an evil sneer as he backhanded her, pushing her over by the force of the impact. 

“I’m going to make you wish you had never been born, rebel scum.” he signaled to someone behind him. Rose’s eyes widened and she felt the air leave her lungs as she saw the spice user stepping out from behind Hux.

“Take her away. Do whatever you wish to her. She’s a waste of my time.” Rose screamed as the spice user advanced, grabbing one of her hair buns and dragged her away. She felt pure terror inside of her as she called out for Hux, pleading for him to save her and that she was sorry; who only smiled, relishing in her pain as his form slowly shrunk in the distance. 

Rose gasped as she bolted up in bed covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her eyes widely looking around for something to ground her, They rested on her tools on top of her dresser and she slowly felt herself relaxing taking in long deep breaths. 

She was still in her room on Ajan Kloss, it was just a nightmare. Looking down at her legs she noticed that they were tangled up in her bed sheets. She cursed and ran her hands down her face, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes before getting up and getting ready for the day. 

It was late in the afternoon, when she was taking a break from datacombing that she remembered last night's conversation with Hux and pulled out her datapad to read through the messages. 

She cringed at the train wreck and mentally kicked herself, she was supposed to work with the spy, not pick fights with him. It was hard not to pick fights with Hux, he was her polar opposite and she hated everything about him.

Pausing at his last two messages after she signed off.

{{Wait!}}

{{Thorn}}

Rose frowned, what could he possibly want? Probably to insult her further, she clenched her fists. She knew she would have to apologize to him after, her jab at him was uncalled for, even though he deserved it. Rose remembered how he had saved her and groaned, she would probably have to thank him for that too. 

Right before dinner in the mess hall, Rose heard a commotion outside, getting up to look out through the big hangar doors her heart leaped when she saw the Millennium Falcon had landed in the valley below. Finn!

Rose raced down as fast as her legs could take her. A crowd of people had gathered to welcome them by the time she arrived and she had to stand on her tiptoes to try to see over the crowd. 

“Rose!” Poe stepped out of the crowd and swept her up in a big hug, picking her up and spinning her in a circle. Rose giggled and squealed at Poe to let her down. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked, setting her down. 

“Better now!” Rose had missed Poe, he was always slightly protective over her after she saved him on the Mon Calamari ship. He was like the brother she never had. 

Poe nodded relieved to see her doing ok, turning away from her when someone asked him a question about the new recruits.

Rose continued wandering through the crowd until her eyes rested on the person she was most excited to see. “Finn!” 

Finn jumped a little at the sound of her voice, looking a little panicked. “Oh, hey Rose.” Finn said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He didn’t try to give her a hug. 

“How are you?” Rose asked, feeling a little disappointed and confused at his cold behavior. 

“I’m good,” he said, avoiding eye contact. The two shared an awkward silence, both of them not knowing what to say next. 

When Finn looked up and saw Rey, his whole face lit up and he ran to hug his friend, leaving Rose lost, confused, and a little hurt. Why was he being so cold to her?She frowned, surely if he didn’t return her feelings they would still at least be friends. 

The crowd dissipated as everyone headed to the mess hall, leaving Rose standing by the Falcon alone. What had just happened? She trailed along behind everyone still pondering what had gone wrong. Obviously he felt awkward about the whole Crait thing but they were still friends. Right?

She sat beside Chewy on the end farthest from Finn and Poe, listening to them retelling their stories from the past two days. Rose barely paid any attention to what they were saying, watching their body language instead. They would often share secret, loving looks between each other when they thought no one was looking. 

Rose wondered if there was something going on between them, she wouldn’t be surprised if they did eventually start dating. She would be happy for them if they did, they would make a cute couple. And if Finn didn’t like her, Rose had to admit that she would be happy if he liked Poe instead. 

Finishing dinner early, she decided to clear her head by doing some repair work. Rose retreated to the hangar and checked the work order list and groaned when she saw that the Falcon was listed as priority. She hated working on that ship. Han Solo had made it every mechanics nightmare, the list of modifications he had done to it was probably longer than she was tall. 

Sighing as she pulled on her old jumpsuit over her regular clothes and prepared her tools, already relaxing into the familiar actions. She lost track of time in her work.

She was just finishing up her work, tightening the last bolt in the crawl space under the cockpit, when she heard voices above her. 

“I don’t understand why I can’t tell anyone about us, I don’t want to hide this!” That was Poe's voice.

"Look, I want to. But we can't, not yet." Was that Finn's voice? Rose frowned, not telling anyone what?

"Is this because of Rose? I told you Finn, she'll be ok with it." Poe sounded frustrated. 

"Naw man, just give me some time ok?" Poe didn't answer.

"Look-she did something reckless to save me. I’m just worried she might do something else. She can be naive and childish sometimes and I just don’t know if we should be friends right now.” Rose held a hand over her mouth to keep quiet. Is that what he thought about her?

Poe didn't answer for a while, considering his words. "I love you, Finn. but I think you're making a mistake with this" He said defeatedly. 

“I love you too. I just need some time to figure this out.” Their footsteps faded, Rose waited for a full five minutes before moving. 

She was unable to stop the flood of tears that ran down her cheeks. Was her friendship with Finn over just that quickly-over a stupid mistake? Shame burned her cheeks as she packed up her things and ran to the hanger and collapsed on her workbench in a fit of sobs. Rose was thankful that no one was in the hangar at least. 

Was she really that childish? She was just trying to protect the ones she loved, how was that naive? 

Rose stood up when the lights dimmed, not knowing how long she had been at her workbench but everything was quiet. Taking the longer, less travelled route to her room, hoping to not run into anyone.

When she rounded the corner and saw Finn and Poe kissing passionately in the hall, she quickly jumped back and slid down the wall covering her mouth, feeling a fresh new set of tears. She was happy that they found love, but it was a bitter reminder of the friendship she had just lost for being so stupid. 

She sat there and waited until she heard the hiss of a pneumatic door further down the hall that told her that Finn and Poe had gone to bed and then beelined it to her room. She showered quickly and stared at herself in the mirror, frowning at her red rimmed eyes. She promised to herself that she would change, she would be less naive and childish because she never wanted to lose a friend again by her own unwitting and stupid actions. 

The pinging of her datapad brought her out of her dark musings. It was Hux. 

{{Expect a hailing at 0600 tomorrow for coordinations.}}

{Why not tell me now?} 

{{It is unsafe to do so. It would allow the First Order to interfere}} That seems a little paranoid.

{I see.}

{{Signing off.}}

{Wait.}

{{What is it?}} Rose took a deep shaky breath. She had to thank him at some point and it would be easier to do it without having to look at him. 

{Thanks for saving me yesterday.}} Hux didn’t answer for a long time. 

{{Signing off.}}

x

Rose peeled her eyes open to the pinging sounds of her datapad and shut them promptly, shielding them from the bright sunlight shining straight into her eyes.  
She growled in frustration at being woken up so early, feeling the floor around her bed for the damn datapad she pulled it under the covers with her to look at it. 

she typed in the response code, getting it wrong twice before Hux accepted it. He instantly sent a string of well crafted insults. Rose grimaced, not in the mood to argue with him today.

{I'm sorry} she typed, trying to calm him down. It seemed to do the trick when his insults subsided. 

{{Arkanis, Scaparus Port, in four hours.}} She sighed, quickly packing up and setting a course for Arkanis. This time she double checked if she had a blaster with her, not wanting to be caught helpless again, especially not in front of Hux. 

-

It was drizzling on Arkanis and the dark storm clouds above her ship threatened even more rain. It was perfect for her mood, she thought grimly, as she flew over the planet’s ocean waves and then over its green grassy meadows before landing in Scaparus Port. 

Rose drew in a breath as she gazed across the ocean for the first time in her life; it was beautiful, she had never seen this much water when she was growing up on Hays Minor. 

The wind whipped her face as she exited her ship and shivered, her canvas jacket was a good rain coat but did little to protect her from the cold wind wafting in from the ocean.

Hux was waiting for her on the landing pad next to his Upsilon Class command shuttle. His greatcoat caught the wind and billowed behind his tall figure. He looked perfectly comfortable in the rain, like he was born for this planet. 

Hux was used to the rain, having grown up in his early life here. The rain eased his stresses but he knew he should hate it because it was messy and wet. He felt elated when her ship landed, he had been anticipating the meeting with her. Hux missed her defiance and challenge eyes; it was refreshing. 

Rose met him at the bottom of the ramp and together they walked to a gate that opened up to a green meadow that ended in a cliff. 

The cliff ended in a sheer drop to the raging waves below and the other side of the meadow sloped down to a small, rocky bay.

She thoughtlessly started speaking before they even left the port. "So what do you have to tell me, Hux?

He stiffened and grabbed her arm tightly at the elbow and marched her further through the gate down a beaten path. She all but ran along beside him to keep from falling over, barely keeping up with his long strides. 

When they were a good distance away from the port, he briefly scanned the area before bearing down on her, infuriated by her blunder.

"If you're lacking the intelligence to hold your tongue when we are still within earshot of the First Order, then do try and resist the urge to speak until I allow you to!" he hissed through clenched teeth, his First Order accent came out thickly in his fury.

"You may have just broken our cover by your witless decision to ask me your impertinent little questions!" He snarled down at her. Tightening his grip on her arm.

She winced and yanked her arm out of his grasp, backing away a little. 

“I’m sorry.” She said faintly and looked down at her feet, hoping he would just drop it. She just didn’t have the energy to do this today. 

Hux paused and studied her for the first time, only now noticing how tired and drained she looked. Feeling irritated that he didn’t see the fierce fire in her eyes that he started to enjoy, he decided to push her further.

Hux stepped closer into her personal space, intimidating her. "We could be all over the holonet by now all because of you, rebel" he spat, sneering down at her. 

Rose snapped and lashed out, throwing her hands up to his chest and pushing him back, taking a couple steps back as well to make more space between them. As she glared defiantly at him she saw his eyes flash with something, satisfaction? Was he trying to push her buttons, to mock her? 

Rose gasped and shook her head faintly, it probably wasn’t that. She looked down at her hands and gulped, she shouldn’t have done that, she could fail her mission by doing that. She wrapped her arms around herself in a defencive posture, if Hux was trying to hurt her, she wouldn’t let him do it. 

"You may speak now, varmint." He smirked. 

She slumped her shoulders in defeat, and looked down at the grass between them, blinking away the moisture in her eyes. The previous day’s events still weighed on her mind and she was mentally exhausted from it. She hoped that Hux would just stop whatever he was trying to do and get on with the meeting. This was definitely the worst time to be around him, she thought bitterly. 

Rose just didn’t have the energy to be defiant, or fierce even when the biggest First Order villain was standing right in front of her. 

Staring down at the grass between them dejectedly, she waited for him to start telling her his information. His mocking smirk faded slightly. 

Hux almost sighed in frustration, he expected to see her fiery spirit but was only met with sad, red rimmed eyes and a defeated slump. 

That spark in her eyes that had enchanted him the first time they met was only a faint glimmer, and for some reason this irritated him. Why wasn’t it there, what happened to her? He felt like she had robbed him of something. He wanted to push her, to make her angry with him and lash out at him again. Why did he want that? This insolent rebel was so irritating and confusing to him.

He felt her flinch and close her eyes when he placed a hand under her chin and forced her to look up at him, she was trembling. A muscle in his jaw clenched when she didn’t open her eyes. 

“Look at me.” he snapped coldly. When she opened her eyes he breathed out a self satisfied sigh and smirked down at her daring her to bite him again, repeating that day on the Supremacy. 

Steeling herself, Rose let out a shaky breath and looked into his green eyes. She knew he was taunting her, tempting her to bite him again, but this time, if she bit him, she knew she would fail her mission and the First Order would win. 

“Well this is surprising.” He snorted “A Haysian savage submitting to my orders.” Hux still wanted to push her and was angry at how stubborn she was. He brushed his thumb over her full bottom lip baiting her with it. His eyes unconsciously followed the movement and felt something else stir inside of him when she gasped. Something more primal and possessive. 

He frowned slightly, confused by this and angry that this disgusting rebel would stir something inside of him. His hand tightened, wanting to hurt her, to make her pay for making him feel. It wasn’t about the spark in her eyes anymore, he just wanted to push her and get any reaction out of her to hurt her. 

“I was beginning to think that only my chemical weapons testing would tame you vermin.” Hux knew he had succeeded when he felt her shaking in his grasp but his smirk fell when he saw the wounded look in her teary eyes. He grimaced when something inside of him stirred, and took in a quick breath when he felt a sharp pain near his heart, he looked up at her shocked. What did she do to him?

He barely noticed her slip from his grasp and dropped his hand to his side pained as he watched her slowly walk down the dirt path with her head down and her shoulders slumped in defeat. 

Rose slowly walked away from Hux letting the tears freely stream down her face wrapping her arms around her body. She sat down on a stone bench overlooking the ocean and hoped Hux wouldn’t bother following her, pushing her further. Drawing her knees to her chest and hugging her arms around them she hid her head in her arms, letting out silent sobs.

Hux took his cap off and ran a hand through his red hair, feeling a storm of emotions wash through him. He was confused by them, Brendol had made sure to beat any emotion and weakness out of him. He grit his teeth, feeling conflicted, the rebel was making him weak and he should be angry at the insect but he just felt regret for hurting her.

He ran a hand through his hair again, feeling an overwhelming desire to make her stop crying.

Unsure of what to do, he straightened the cuffs of his coat to give himself some more time to think about it. Still not sure what to do next, he slowly approached the bench and studied her. 

He felt another, painful twist inside him when he noticed how small she actually was compared to him and felt a surge of protectiveness wash over him. 

He slowly sat down, not wanting to startle her and kept a good deal of distance between them. He deftly crossed his legs and rested his cap in his lap to keep it clean from the dusty bench.

He clenched his teeth and glared at his gloved hands in his lap, feeling another painful twist when she quickly wiped her cheeks and turned her head away from him. 

“I’m-sorry.” He said quietly, he frowned, unable to remember when the last time he said those words. 

Rose wiped her cheeks again and stared straight ahead at the ocean, feeling the wind on her face and took a deep breath. Did Hux really apologize? She wasn’t sure if she should believe him, it could be another game to him. General Hux was known for his ruthlessness, she never heard of him feeling anything like remorse. 

Hux reached down beside him and plucked a flowering weed from the grass and examined it. Glared at it unsure what to say or do next, would the varmint like something like this? 

He slowly stretched his hand towards her and placed it on the bench close to her but careful not to touch her.

Rose sniffed and looked down at the flower and then up at Hux. He wasn’t looking at her, he was looking down, glaring at his cap as the wind played with his red hair messing it up. 

She picked up the flower and studied it, unsure what to say or do next.

Hux looked at her and was entranced as the wind caught a lock of hair and made it dance around her soft neck. He felt his throat go dry and gulped as he couldn’t help imagining what it would feel like if it were his fingers running along her neck instead. 

When she felt his piercing gaze on her, she looked up at him and caught her breath. He looked at her with such raw emotion before quickly looking away the tips of his ears going red. Rose smiled faintly, deciding that she believed and could forgive him. 

“I’m Rose.” she said after a moment, wanting to start over. Hux’s head snapped up to her, eyes wide before morphing into understanding. The corners of his mouth twitched up into a small smile. The name suited her.

“Rose.” he said, testing out the sound. The sound of his voice saying her name sounded utterly foreign in his First Order accent. Rose repressed a shudder at the sound.

Moving her knees down, Rose leaned back and looked back out over the ocean, enjoying the view, and the comfortable silence that fell over them.

Hux watched her and frowned. How could she forgive him so quickly? He shook his head slightly, this rebel was too forgiving, naive and trusting, it was reckless and dangerous. She is going to get herself hurt in the future, he would have to protect her from that, he sighed. His brows knit together, why was he feeling protective over her? It's just because she’s his contact, that's it...

His breath caught in his throat when she faced him, a small smile stretched across her lips.

“I like it here.” she said. Hux almost lost himself in her eyes, they were glowing brighter than he ever saw them before. He quickly looked away, feeling a small twist inside him, he would never have someone like her. He looked out at the water, unsure what she liked about the planet, water was not a very useful resource to the First Order. 

She turned to him and opened her mouth and then promptly closed it and looked down at her lap, tearing a blade of grass into small pieces distractedly. Hux was a little unsettled when pieces of grass started falling on the bench in disarray and all over her knee, likely leaving grass stains all over the fabric.

Rose sighed, and faced him again. “should we start?” she asked, standing up and brushing off her pants. Hux looked at her, repressing a small smirk, she was barely taller than he was sitting down.

Hux stood up and clasped his hands behind his back straightening up his back; he frowned when she backed away from him, keeping distance between them. 

As Hux began talking, Rose picked up a white wildflower and examined it, the distraction helped her focus on remembering what he said. when she felt eyes on her she looked up and saw Hux looking down at her with an odd expression on his face, his brows furrowed, but he didn’t mention it and kept talking. 

Rose stared down at the flower while she listened to him, sighing when she sniffed it and closed her eyes, smiling at the memory of summers on Hays Minor. 

Hux frowned, why was the rebel picking common weeds now? They were not useful, And she’s smelling it?! He couldn’t understand this rebel anomaly. 

After walking for a time, Rose noticed that they were nearing the ocean at a black, rocky beach. The waves crashed loudly against them. This was the first time she saw an ocean this close and it was beautiful in a dangerous, exhilarating way. She wandered closer, wanting to dip her fingers and toes into the cold waters.

Hux didn’t seem to notice or care that she wandered further away and Rose could still hear him perfectly so she didn’t bother letting him know where she was going.

“I have received word that Ren has created a secret research group tracing sith holocrons and researching some absurd force thing called dyads. The Supreme Council has finally commenced work on a new capital ship, the project is called The Centrist remnant. The capital ship will be called the Retribution. Now repeat what I just told you.”

Hux waited for the rebel to start repeating his words. She didn’t answer, she had been quiet for a while. He halted.

“Rose?” He turned and saw her with her hands in the waves, what does she think she’s doing that’s dangerous!

“Rose!” He yelled 

Acting quickly, breaking out into a sprint towards her when he saw the telltale ripples in the water and saw a long scaly mass break the surface. The thing was heading straight for her and he quickly grabbed hold of the collar of her shirt, pulling her back into him. 

Losing his balance when Rose collided into his chest and they both fell, Rose trembled underneath him lying on the grass as he shielded her with his body.

Hux felt his throat going dry when he felt her hands on his chest and how good her body felt pressed up against his. Rose looked up at him wide eyed and Hux stared down into her beautiful brown eyes for a moment before feeling anger at her stupidity. She had been so close to being snatched away. 

He stood up and hauled her up as well, red faced partly from anger and partly from how close they had been. 

Rage washed over him, what was she thinking? The insolence of her just wandering off like that. She almost died without even knowing it, how could she be so naive. What if he hadn’t been there in time! 

“What the kriff is wrong with you? You were almost a sea monster’s feast!” 

Her jaw dropped. “There are sea monsters here?” she asked dumbly. 

Hux shook his head, frustration coursing through him he stepped forward into her space. “What were you thinking?! Why did you wander off!” 

Rose backed away again, Hux noticed it and caught himself again breathing a frustrated sigh to calm himself down not wanting to upset her again. “Why did you wander off?” he asked calmly and quietly. 

“I wanted to see the water.”

Hux resisted the urge to facepalm. She was almost snatched up by a fish because she was curious about the ocean? He wanted to yell at her and make her understand, but didn’t want to make her upset with him.

Why does he care? He shouldn’t care because she was such a chaotic and disorderly anomaly and was bound to get herself in trouble. He could not figure her out and it frustrated him.

His patience was running thin and he felt a frustrated headache coming on. He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Let’s go. Stay close.” He said quietly and marched back to the dirt path.

Rose spared one last glance at the waves, did she almost become prey to a sea monster? She didn't know Arkanis was that dangerous. “Rose!” Hux snapped. She quickly followed behind him. 

Hux made her repeat what he said verbatim over and over, satisfied only when she could say everything perfectly. 

On their way back to the ships Rose admired the countryside taking in the natural beauty. When she was young, Paige and her would dream of all the places they would visit; they even planned to do so after the war. But those plans had been dashed to the side when Paige died. 

"Hurry up, Rebel" Hux sneered at her. She shook herself out of her day dreaming and caught up to Him.

Rose looked at the dark clouds above and admired their beauty, there was something so dramatic about them. 

She stopped to pick up a wild flower by the path, Hux stopped and waited for her with his hands clasped behind his back and an almost pained look on his face. "Why don't you go on without me. We're done our meeting" She asked while picking up another. 

Hux sneered at her. "You're likely to get yourself killed between here and your ship." She snorted forgetting who she was talking to for a moment

"Careful Hux, people might think you care." she said smelling one of the flowers and headed back to the path. Hux scowled at her

"You're transporting my intel, once you report to your precious princess you are welcome to jump into a sarlacc pit." Her face scrunched up at the thought of that.

“Rose.” he warned. His patience ran dangerously thin when she stopped to pick one more. He needed to get back to the Steadfast and think over what just happened today, something was very different. The rebel was unwittingly doing something to him. 

He was in a dark irritable mood by the time she arrived with a small smile on her face as she looked at the flowers. He felt another unknown emotion when he saw the spark in her eyes shine. He repressed a frustrated growl. 

They continued to walk further. 

Rose liked it here, she wished she could stay here longer. She felt like all her troubles were blown away by the ocean breeze. But as they got closer to the port, her troubles came back to plague her. 

On Ajan Kloss, there was no escape from the constant reminder of her own failed friendship. What was it that Finn called her. Childish? naive? Looking down at the flowers, she sighed. Here she was collecting wildflowers and fawning over new planets like a child. 

She sighed dejectedly, picking stupid flowers wasn’t something a ‘normal’ person would do. She arched her arm back and threw the flowers as far as possible from her, landing in front of Hux. 

Hux did his best to ignore her walking behind him but when a chaotic mess of flowers landed at his feet, he felt the last vestiges of his patience dissipating. He stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose again.

He lost it when she crashed into his back not noticing that he had stopped he turned, rounding on her. He started advancing on her, glaring down at her. 

“Why did you throw those weeds away?” Rose gulped and took a step back.

“I don’t want them anymore.” She said sadly, avoiding eye contact. 

Hux faltered, something was wrong with the rebel again. He shook his head, he didn’t care. He wouldn’t. Rose took another step back. 

“Then why did you waste time picking them?”

“I-It’s just that-...nevermind” She rubbed her arm, not wanting to argue.

“So you have been squandering my time puttering around in the dirt like a grubby insect collecting weeds for no intended purpose?” His voice increased in volume the longer he talked. His hands twitched, wanting to strangle her for her insolence. 

“I just liked them.” Rose stared at her feet, feeling embarrassed. 

He was right of course. It was stupid to collect flowers. She frowned, looking at the ground. 

She breathed a sigh of relief when Hux turned and stalked towards the port. She followed along behind him, barely keeping up with his brisk pace.

It started pouring rain when they were close to the port again. Rose put her hood up and looked up at Hux, he seemed unbothered by the rain. 

Rose was lost in thought when she noticed ruins in the far distance. "What's that?" she asked herself and was mildly surprised that Hux answered her.

"The old academy," he said. An old academy? she wondered what happened to it. 

"What happened to it?" Hux ignored her and kept walking.

They arrived at the Port a few minutes later and both left. 

Rose was thankful that she arrived on Ajan Kloss during dinner. She wouldn't have to see any familiar faces, not yet. 

Quickly making her report to the general, Rose went straight to her pulling out of her pocket a slightly damaged flower and looked down at it. It was Hux’s piece offering to her. Placing it gently in between the pages of an old ship manual, she touched a petal one last time before closing the book, squishing the flower inside it. 

She spent the rest of the evening in her room avoiding people, eating ration bars and doing her datawork. Hux messaged her later that evening. 

{{Have you made your report?}}

{Yes.}

{{Excellent.}}

{Thanks for saving my life again by the way.}

{{You should be more careful in the future. Signing off}}


	4. Chapter Three: The Bet

Rose sat by herself in the mess hall eating breakfast and working on her datapad.

“You’re up early.” She looked up and found Rey standing over her in high spirits with a tray in her hands. 

“Oh, hey. Morning, Rey. Don't get used to it, I hate mornings.” Rose joked as Rey sat down. 

“I didn’t see you yesterday. Where were you?" Rey asked while eating a spoonful of cereal.

Rose picked up her mug of caf “I was just on a mission off world” 

“Did you have a meeting with the First Order spy?” Rey asked. Rose’s eyes widened and almost spit out her caf. Rey knew about the spy? Rey giggled.

“Leia tells me a lot." That would explain it.

“So how's our First Order friend doing?” Rose snorted.

“He's being a kriffing pain in my ass. He's such a paranoid prick with control issues.” Rey shook her head slightly and laughed cheerily. 

"That sounds like a handful" 

“oh, you have no idea, Rey!” she chuckled.

They sat in comfortable silence. “Is he cute?” 

Rose almost choked on her breakfast. “Rey!” she gasped and coughed.

“Well Is he?” Rey teased, chuckling at the mortified look on Rose's face. 

Scrunching up her face, Rose tried to picture Hux. Rose supposed that if Hux wasn’t snapping, sneering, yelling or glaring at her he could be considered cute. She did like his intense green eyes, and his ginger eyebrows and lashes were quite adorable too.

“Well, maybe a little bit.” Rey nodded eagerly. 

"Go on?"

Rose opened her mouth to say something but noticed Finn setting foot in the cantina and felt dread sinking in her stomach. When they made eye contact, she quickly looked away and ducked her head grimacing, feeling dejected. 

Rey somehow seemed to sense her mood darken and looked up to see what Rose had been looking at. 

"What happened between you and Finn?" Rey frowned, making Rose a little uncomfortable at how perceptive Rey was. 

"It's a jedi thing." Rey said, sensing Rose's discomfort. Could Rey read her mind?

"I just did something stupid on Crait- I told him I loved him after I crashed my speeder into his." Rey's jaw dropped. 

"You love Finn?" her voice rising in volume. Rose quickly shushed her. 

"No, I don't." She sighed dejectedly 

"It was stupid. I thought I liked him. And I didn't want to die without telling him. But now” Rose sighed and looked at where Finn was sitting.

“He's avoiding me like a rancor. I think I ruined our friendship for good." Rose was careful to leave out the fact that Finn and Poe were dating, not wanting to spill their secret before they had the chance to tell anyone. Rey gave her a quick hug, 

"Oh, I'm sorry Rose. Finn's being an asshole, he probably just needs some time. I think he will come to his senses soon." Rose blinked away the tears that threatened to spill. She appreciated Rey’s comforting words but somehow doubted that Finn and her would ever be friends again. 

After breakfast, the two friends parted ways. 

Rose made her way to her workbench to continue her work on the mountain of datawork. 

After a couple hours, she was interrupted by workers arriving and unloading supply boxes adding to the wall of supply boxes. 

She kept her head down and felt her mouth go dry when Finn came in and stacked his box beside the others, pausing when he saw her. Rose kept her head down feeling her face heat up when he took a small step forward as if he wanted to start a conversation with her but thought better of it.

When he left she looked up in the direction that he had gone and breathed out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. It was too soon for them to talk.

In the evening as she got up to leave, she noticed something glittering from one of the boxes. She stood up, curiosity growing when she saw that it was a piece of glittering fabric. 

She gasped when she pulled it out and laid it on her workbench, it was a beautiful cream colored ball gown. She trailed a hand over the front of it, it was gorgeous. The shoulders and sleeves were sheer, and around the hem pearls and colorful beads were stitched in a glittering pattern. 

She clutched her Otomok necklace, and stared down at the dress. Paige would have looked beautiful in this…

Rose quickly glanced behind her shoulder checking to see if the hangar was empty. She shoved her datapad in her back pocket and gathered up the dress in her arms and hurriedly made her way back to her room. 

As soon as she entered her room, she hung the dress up on the hook behind the door and stared at it with a delighted smile on her face. Rose knew she would never be able to wear it anywhere but it was pretty and reminded her of Paige. 

-

Hux messaged her coordinates for a meeting the next afternoon. She dropped her work on a power generator, asking a new recruit to finish it for her, she quickly packed up her things and left.

It was an uninhabited moon in the Clacis sector this time. Wondering what business Hux had here as she flew over the surface and noticed that it was a snowy wasteland with the temperature dropping by the minute. 

As she landed beside Hux’s command shuttle, Her ship beeped a warning to her about an incoming blizzard and grimaced, hoping Hux wouldn't take too long otherwise they would both be grounded till the storm passed by.

Rose shivered as she made her way down the landing ramp in the sub zero temperature, barely making out the outline of the command shuttle beside her ship through the falling snow. Why couldn’t Hux pick a warmer planet? She grumbled to herself as the wind bit into her stinging skin and made her limbs numb almost instantly. 

She fought fiercely against the wind that threatened to knock over her small frame with every step; sinking into the powdery snow that weighed down her legs Rose was veered off course three times by the wind. 

She arrived at the entrance of the shuttle only to trip and fall face first into a large snow drift. Cursing to herself as she struggled to crawl out of it, dusting the snow off her pants and grimacing when wet snow slid down her shirt, she hoped that Hux hadn’t seen her embarrassing fall.

When she saw Hux standing at the door smirking down at her, Rose frowned and felt heat rising to her frozen cheeks. He definitely saw her stupid looking fall. 

He stood aside and allowed her to enter the shuttle, schooling his grin as he pressed the button closing the landing ramp, her ridiculous fall had been both amusing and utterly adorable. 

He passed her into the cabin and sat down crossing his legs in one smooth, elegant motion. He sighed tiredly and studied her discreetly. She wasn’t dressed appropriately for the weather, the disorganized rebel, he frowned. Maybe he should have warned her what to expect. 

He watched as she rubbed her arms and sat down across from him.

Hux straightened the cuffs of his uniform. He was exhausted having just finished a double shift working on the centrist project and took his command shuttle to meet her here without a moment's rest. 

Rose watched him, waiting for him to begin. He looked tired and seemed much less guarded than usual. Vulnerable even. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples wearily. 

“Let’s start,” He said halfheartedly, taking off his cap and setting it down on the seat beside him before running a hand through his hair.

"The Order has been busy starting up the Centrist remnant project." He sighed and picked at imaginary dust on his knee, adding. "Ren shortened the deadline." 

Rose could hear the loathing in his voice at the mention of the supreme leader’s name. At least that was something they could agree on.

The howling wind outside picked up and got louder, whistling through the folded wings of the shuttle. She frowned, her ship's forecast had told her that the blizzard was imminent, maybe they should stop or she might get lost on her way back.

Hux continued 

"He will be on Dantooine for two more days-thank the stars, karking moof milker'' He bit out spitefully. Rose had to suppress a small giggle, his First Order accent made that insult sound much more refined and elegant than it was meant to be.

Hux was oblivious to her mirth, still picking at imaginary dust on his uniform. He sighed and continued. 

"I'm sure you've noticed the price of Farium skyrocketing on the galactic market by now, that's because the First Order-” His voice was drowned out by an overpowering gust of wind howling outside. 

Rose looked up at the durasteel ceiling of the shuttle with trepidation, worrying about the storm. She hoped that it didn't get too bad before she had to leave the shuttle, it was probably already too late.

Hux watched her through his lashes wondering what she was so concerned about for a moment before realization dawned on him. She probably wanted to get back to her own ship before the storm got too bad. He sighed, he hadn’t considered that. He cursed his careless planning, his exhausted mind wasn’t as sharp today. 

He suppressed a frown as he felt another irritating urge to protect her; she looked so small and anxious. He couldn’t let her go out there alone in this weather, she would get lost. He knew he would have to go with her and sighed in defeat. 

“We will continue later.” He stood up and grabbed his cap. Rose felt panic rising as he made his way to the door, she would definitely get lost and freeze. She bit her lip nervously, unsure if she should ask him if she could stay longer. 

When he started outside he realized that she wasn’t behind him and turned around, irritated. But when he saw her his eyes softened at the sight. She was wringing her hands nervously, terrified of going back out there. 

“Coming?” He looked at her expectantly as he put his cap on and hid a faint self satisfied smile when he saw realization and relief flood across her face. She quickly trailed along behind him out of the ship, wrapping her jacket tighter around her body.

Rose hid behind Hux’s tall figure as they walked, using him as a body shield from the harsh winds and held up a hand up to protect her face from the sharp, crystalline snow. Her fingers and toes instantly lost their feeling. She couldn’t even see her ship anymore and hoped that Hux knew where he was going. 

Hux grabbed her elbow and held fast when the wind steered her off course again. 

“Don’t get lost.” She barely heard his voice over the howling wind. Her cheeks stung from the cold and she could feel her thighs going numb.

This time it was Hux who tripped and fell, pulling her down on top of him, she would have blushed with embarrassment if she wasn’t freezing.

They both scrambled to get back up in the powdery snowdrift. Rose made it up first and held a numb hand down for Hux who took it as she helped haul him up, almost pulling her back down in the process. Picking up his cap from the drift and holding it out for him, he gruffly snatched it out of her hand and dusted it off. 

Rose started to feel oddly warm and sluggish in the snow, barely feeling Hux pull her numb hand along with him, forcing her stubborn legs to move. She tripped a couple times as Hux pulled her with him as he powered through the snow and wind with a determined drive. 

By the time they entered her ship, she was completely numb and her teeth chattered violently. 

She looked at her free hand, the one that wasn’t in Hux’s warm grasp and was shocked to see that it was almost white. She held back a gasp and quickly hid it in her jacket pocket to warm it up. `

Hux stared down at their clasped hands, her small hand fit perfectly in his, it felt so right and it was distracting. He squeezed it slightly, committing the feeling to memory before letting go. They were enemies and she was foolishly caught up on the wrong side. 

He turned around to go back to his ship but was stopped by her stepping in front of him eliciting his swift anger.

“Hux, you can’t be serious. We barely made it here.” Hux seethed, the insolent idiot dared to question him. He placed his hand on her shoulder, scowling at her as he pushed her forcefully to the side but careful not to hurt her. 

“Don’t” She said stubbornly, wrapping a hand around his wrist. Hux stiffened when he felt her small hand wrap around his wrist, feeling slightly panicked. He hated being touched when he wasn’t expecting it. 

He snarled and grabbed her wrist and peeled it off of him, squeezing it in his anger at her boldness.

When he saw the tears in her eyes he realized what he was doing and quickly loosened his grip. He sighed in defeat, she was probably right anyway, he would have to stay and try not to get too distracted by her presence. 

Hux looked down at her wrist to check if he hurt her and his eyes widened in shock, her hands were pale and freezing. He lifted it up and studied it, before pulling out her other hand from its hiding place and inspected it as well, it was the same. 

He angrily glared down into her eyes, piercing her with his blazing gaze. This insect was so irresponsible and reckless! She should have packed emergency clothing at least, and she definitely should have told him that she was this cold. 

He dropped her hands with a sigh and stalked past her. Placing his cap on the ship’s dash, he sat down in the pilot’s chair crossing his legs with an air of grace and superiority he always commanded wherever he went. 

“Come here” He commanded with quiet confidence, taking off his gloves, not bothering to look up at her.

“Excuse me?” she choked out. 

“You heard me, Rose.” He said half heartedly too exhausted to snap at her but irritated that she wasn’t following his orders the moment he commanded them. 

Rose took a couple small steps towards him and stopped halfway. Hux frowned, feeling a headache coming on which seems to be a common occurrence around the rebel varmint. 

“Rose.” He warned, rubbing his tired eyes with his free hand

She took one more hesitant step closer, distrusting him. “What do you want?”

Hux dropped his hand in his lap and stared at her, letting out a long indignant sigh. He leaned forward and wrapped his long fingers around her wrist and drew her closer to him. 

“Contrary to you,” He snapped “I don’t bite.” Rose could hear the irritation behind his voice. He expertly shoved his leather gloves over her hand, she watched him wide eyed. 

“Oh, H-Hux, I’m fine. I don’t need-” “Shut up varmint” He snapped, holding out his hand for her other hand. She complied to his silent command, not wanting to test his strained patience further. 

She stared blankly at her gloved hands after he finished shoving them on. They were too big, but she could feel the warmth already seeping through her fingers. She wanted to take them off, feeling uncomfortable wearing Hux’s gloves. 

He leaned back in his chair and glared at her, daring her to argue with him and Rose wisely kept the gloves on. Even though she was a little taller than Hux when he was sitting down, he still felt imposing and Rose chose not to argue with him further on this matter. 

She avoided his gaze with a small sigh and turned away from him, rubbing her freezing arms. 

She checked the ship's weather forecast and set an alarm for when it cleared up and then dimmed the lights and rerouted the extra power to heating. She internally cheered when she checked the ship's emergency supplies and found two blankets, wrapping one around her body.

When she turned around and faced Hux again she held back a small grin. He had turned around and was resting his head in his arms carefully folded over the dash. His eyes were closed and looked so innocent and peaceful, she draped the other blanket over his shoulders. 

Checking the forecast again she frowned, it was only getting worse and she hoped they wouldn’t freeze to death. 

She pulled out her datapad and sat on the floor to do some work, losing track of time and shivering faintly. 

When Hux moved, she jumped slightly having forgotten that he was there. He slowly sat up and straightened his back, rolling his neck. He turned around and leaned back in his chair again, taking in his surroundings with a look of disgust. 

He wrapped his coat around his frame and crossed his legs, shielding himself from the imaginary filth in her ship. Pretentious bastard, Rose thought grimly and focused on her work again.

Hux took in his surroundings, there wasn’t much to look at in this shabby piece of scrap. Feeling boredom seeping in, he amused himself by studying the rebel savage on the floor in front of him. 

She was reading something on her datapad. He noted with interest when her eyes started to skim over her datapad, reading the same line over and over and a small hint of a flush dusted her cheeks.

Her head snapped up to him “Do you want something, Hux?” she scowled, eyes flashing.

Hux smirked faintly and shook his head no. She looked back down to her work with a barely audible growl. Hux held back a chuckle, it was too easy to push her buttons. 

Rose looked back down trying to distract herself but soon gave up, throwing her hands up in exasperation. She couldn’t focus on her work like this. Was he just toying with her because he was bored? Asshole. 

Hux caught his breath when she bit her lip in frustration. Stars, she's cute. Hux’s smirk faltered when he caught his treacherous thought and looked away from her, dismissing the thought. She sighed, breaking him out of his thoughts. 

"Tell me about yourself, Hux." She said. He scowled down at her distrustfully but didn’t respond. She held his gaze for a few moments before sighing again in defeat. 

"Fine, I'll go first. I was born on Hays Minor. My favorite memory is when I set a herd of fathiers free in Canto Bight, My Favorite color is blue like the sky, and my favorite animals are fathiers." Hux stared blankly at her. A herd of fathiers free in Canto Bight? This is exactly why the galaxy needs order. 

"You're turn." She added. She didn’t think he would answer, but at least she tried to be civil.

"I was born on Arkanis, my favorite memory is when I had my father killed, and I do not have a favorite color nor do I have a favorite animal because I am not a child." Rose gasped how could he kill his own father? She felt sick to her stomach. Monster. She felt Hux’s gaze on her, cataloguing her response with clinical interest. 

“Your turn.” He added, ignoring her look of horror. 

Rose cringed and avoided his gaze, not wanting to talk to him anymore. She knew Brendol Hux was evil but to have your own son have you killed? She wrapped the blanket around her knees and shuddered at the thought.

“He deserved it, Rose. I only wish I did it myself.” Hux said coldly, irritation slowly sinking in. Rose looked up at him, brows knit together and trembling faintly. 

“How could you be such a cold hearted monster?” She shivered. 

Hux’s face remained impassive. “Brendol Hux was an evil sadist.” He examined his nails, ignoring her question. 

Rose frowned and shook her head. “How are you any different?” She asked without thinking and heard Hux breathe in sharply, knowing instantly that she said something terribly wrong. 

Everything stilled and was deathly silent. The ship felt far too small for the two of them. Rose breathed out a slow trembling breath, and wondered exactly how many knives he had hidden in the sleeves of his great coat and how fast she could escape if it came down to that. 

Rose fearfully met his murderous gaze with terrified eyes. He glared darkly at her for a full minute. 

“Don’t say that ever again.” He warned in a low dangerous voice. She nodded slowly and his eyes softened, noticing the fear in her eyes. 

Rose breathed out a sigh and stared at the floor, unsure what to say next. 

He sighed after another moment and looked down, picking at his blanket. “My father.. - he hated my existence, and he made me aware of that...every single day..- If you had met him you would understand.” He sighed again, not wanting to elaborate further.

Hux studied her, expecting her to revel in that little detail about his childhood. He was surprised when he saw sadness in her eyes, did she actually care about him? 

Something twisted inside him at the thought. Perhaps she could be changed and join the First Order. Perhaps that glow in her eyes could belong to him. He quickly dismissed the distracting thought, biting the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. 

His mind spun as he tried to come up with something to say to make her understand that he wasn’t like his father. He was NOT Brendol.

He paused considering something before lifting his hand, showing her the back of it. Rose gasped. Across his finger was a freshly healed, thin, pink line, did she do that? She didn’t taste blood when she bit him on the Supremacy. 

“If you did this to my father he would have kept you locked up and tortured you ceaselessly until that beautiful little spark in your eyes was nothing but a hollow shell. You would beg for your own death.” Rose’s face scrunched up at the horrible thought, and wondered what it would be like having to grow up with a man like that. It probably wasn’t good

“I’m sorry... I didn’t know…” She didn’t know what else to say. Overwhelmed with sadness.

“I believe it is your turn” Hux drawled, changing the subject. He was unsettled by the insect's display of sympathy towards him, he had never experienced that before. 

She looked up at Hux, stunned that he still wanted to continue the conversation.

Hux pinned her with an expectant gaze and watched her frown, looking away unsure of what to say. Hux sighed and examined his perfect nails again.

"What is your rank in the Resistance?" Rose almost sputtered. He must be really bored if he’s asking her that, but there's probably no harm in answering, she bit her bottom lip debating her answer. 

"Sergeant Tico. Engineering Corps." Realization dawned over Hux, "An engineer, that's why you want to know about my Hyperspace tracker." He stated, the corners of his mouth quirking up.

Rose almost blushed and looked down at her gloved hands, had she been that obvious? That’s embarrassing, she was supposed to be professional.

Hux contemplated that new information and wondered if she was the rebel scum that invented the baffler. That particular work of genius robbed him many nights of sleep during the Atterra system conflict, trying to figure out how the resistance managed to hide under his very nose; in a fit of exhausted aggravation, he even considered placing a large bounty on that particular resistance engineer, he swore that he would make whoever it was suffer. 

“Why did you betray the First Order?” Rose asked, pulling him out of his recollections. 

“I am not betraying the First Order, I’m saving it from Ren. The dim witted bantha fodder doesn’t deserve to be Supreme Leader.” Rose grimaced, so Hux will still be her enemy after all this. 

“Where is the companion medallion to that?” He nodded his head toward her necklace. 

Rose looked down and saw her necklace had fallen out of her shirt and hastily tucked it away. Remembering when he held it in his corrupted hands, she grimaced. 

Rose didn’t want Hux to see her necklace or even think about it, it was all she had left of her family; the family that he was responsible for their deaths. He would taint their memories by acknowledging her medallion. She realized that Hux was still watching her with interest expecting an answer. 

“My sister.” She grit out through clenched teeth, avoiding eye contact and blinking away teary eyes. Hux masked a grin, she was too easy to antagonize.

“Ah. Dead.” He snorted. Feeling stung by his insensitive words, she looked up and felt angry at the mirth behind his eyes. He was mocking her again, toying with her emotions. 

Rose clenched her jaw, hating that he was too casual about people dying or suffering. He couldn't just dismiss it like that, she shot him a dirty look and turned away.

She didn’t want to continue this conversation anymore, Hux was too cold and heartless. Rose shivered as she wrapped her blanket tighter around herself.

“It is you turn, Rose. Do try to focus.” Hux held back a chuckle when she glared at the floor murderously. 

Rose sighed, and shook her head. Hux was such a kriffing asshole! She shouldn’t have expected anything else from a First Order general. 

"Why are you always so paranoid?" His smirk morphed into a faint smile. 

"It's a useful practice." The rebel was just too naive to understand common self preservation. 

"Why?" Rose’s brows knit together, trying to figure out how it could be useful. You should be able to trust people. 

"In my rise to power I’ve had to come up with creative ways to eliminate my rivals” Rose felt sick at the thought and shuddered. Hux continued casually. “And I have avoided my own assassinations by what you so eloquently call paranoia.” 

How can someone be so heartless? Those were living, breathing people with their own thoughts and feelings. Rose shivered again, feeling anger rise up within her Hux’s uncaring nature aggravated her. She stood up and paced around the small space.

“You can’t just hurt people like that, Hux!” Hux stopped picking his nails and looked up and blinked at her. “They were living breathing sentients with families who loved and cared about them!” she continued. 

Hux almost snorted at that, the rebel varmint was too idealistic and naive. “Don’t be ridiculous, Rose. They were weak and a waste of space.” Rose clenched her fists, the leather gloves creaked with the added pressure. 

“But they were still people!” Hux looked up at her brows knit together in confusion. People are a waste of resources if they don’t serve a purpose.

“What is your point?” She was angry that he was being so callous about it, and completely missing what she was saying.

“You’re supposed to care about people no matter what because they are still people.” She studied him as he leaned back and breathed out a long indulgent sigh, looking at her as if she was an ignorant child which provoked her anger further. 

“Don’t be naive, Rose. People are evil and deserve to die if they don’t serve a purpose, and you know it.” Hux knew enough to know that people were inherently bad. 

Her face morphed into loathing abhorrence for him. Her parents had always taught her to care about people no matter what because they were still people, and Rose kept their memory alive by living up to that rule, always treating people with kindness and love. 

And Hux was the complete opposite, only caring about himself and taking whatever he pleased. Just like the First Order did to so many people including her homeworld. 

“You’re wrong.” She said with righteous fury. Hux sighed again and scrutinized her, she was far too innocent. He masked a smirk, seeing an opportunity to trap her in her own words.

“Do you care about me?” Hux asked, carefully keeping his face impassive. 

Rose faltered, did she? She wanted to say no, but she knew that it wasn’t true. She did care about him in a small way, as a person. Even though he had done so many awful things and taken so much away from her. 

“Yes. Because you’re still a person no matter how hateful and awful you are.” She took a step forward and hissed “I’m not like you, Hux.” 

Hux smirked as he slowly stood up and advanced, knowing he was cornering her with her own words. Rose backed away and gulped, knowing that He was onto something. 

“And you would be willing to bet that you will never change your foolish and idealistic sentiments?” He asked, enjoying the discomfort in her eyes. When Rose’s back hit the wall, she glared defiantly up at him like a cornered animal as he advanced, hiding the small flicker of fear that rose up inside her. 

“Yes.” she all but squeaked, unsure what she was getting herself into. 

He chuckled darkly, stopping just in front of her close enough to relish in the fierce fire he saw in her eyes. “Very well. When you find out you’re wrong, I want this.” 

Her breath caught in her throat and she felt her muscles stiffening as he slowly trailed a finger along her neck, pulling on the chain of her necklace revealing the Otomok medallion out of her shirt. Rose felt her neck burning along the pathway his finger created and her mouth went dry. 

“Never!” Rose gasped, angrily slapping his wrist away from her. Hux straightened up and smirked down at her in victory.

“Exactly” He plastered a mocking smirk on his face, knowing he had just won. “You do not want to risk your most prized possession because deep down inside, you know that I am right. And you are scared because you know that you are exactly like me.” 

Rose shuddered, that wasn’t why she didn’t want to risk it, was it? She knew she was right, she just didn’t want to bet her necklace on it. But Hux would win if she backed down.

When she looked up at him, she felt a surge of anger roll through her, he was already gloating over her! She wanted to smack that grin off his smug, pale face. 

“Deal.” she grit out stiffly. 

His grin faltered a fraction before widening “I will enjoy taking it from that lovely little neck of yours and I will destroy it before your eyes.” 

Rose held in a breath and blinked back tears, avoiding eye contact and hid her necklace under her shirt again. 

Hux left and sat back down on the pilot’s chair again, he felt a small flicker of regret for pushing her a little too far. He hadn’t meant to upset her too much but he ignored the urge to comfort her. 

Rose dimmed the lights for the evening, shrouding both of them in darkness and sat down on the floor; leaning against the wall and wrapped her blanket around herself. Clutching her necklace for comfort she sniffed and heard Hux catch his breath but ignored it. 

She wouldn’t fail her family. She wasn’t like Hux, she would always show kindness to people even if they didn’t deserve it. 

Rose lied down on the floor facing the wall and away from Hux, clutching her necklace and shivered. She hoped that sleep would come soon.


	5. Chapter Four: Blizzard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe a panic attack trigger warning?

It was her teeth chattering that woke her up from her fitful slumber. The cabin’s temperature had dropped even lower which made her nose freezing and numb. She could even faintly see her breath fog up in front of her face when she breathed out.

Wrapping her blanket tighter around herself, she shuffled into a more comfortable position on the floor and tried to fall back asleep again. But it was hard to ignore her constant shivering, it was just too cold to sleep for her.

She jumped when Hux snapped angrily from somewhere in the darkness. “Will you stop that insufferable racket!” 

“S-sorry.” She brought her knees to her chest and huddled tighter into a ball to conserve more heat. 

She tried to distract herself from the biting cold by studying Hux’s gloves and stared at the leather. They were soft, breathable and probably very expensive. She brought the gloves closer to her face to blow hot air on them, trying to get some feeling into her fingers. Catching the leathers scent, Rose closed her eyes, it smelled like pinewood, rain and leather. 

She liked the scent, it was calming and familiar; it reminded her of home back on Hays Minor, back when she would walk through the evergreen forests with Paige.

“You’re doing it again, rodent!” Hux barked, making her jump out of her skin. Rose looked up but saw only darkness and shivered again.

Rose realized that her teeth had started chattering and sighed tiredly, mentally cursing out Hux. She stood up and walked to the corner furthest away from him and sat down, hugging her knees to her chest. She wanted to sleep but it was far too cold to do that and hoped that she wouldn’t get frostbite, or worse…

“Rose.” Hux warned in a low stern voice. Rose lost her temper at that, she couldn’t help it. She was cold and Hux being an asshole wasn’t going to change that.

“I can’t help it, Hux! I’m f-freezing! And s-snapping at me every five minutes isn’t going to help!” She shivered, glaring in his general direction and stood up, pacing to keep warm.

"Would it have killed you to bring warmer clothing?” He snapped after a moment, losing his patience as well. “You have-without fail-managed to almost injure yourself every damn time we meet and I'm tired of taking care of you! You disorganized, pathetic little scum!" He spat the last part.

Her jaw dropped, then why did he give her his stupid gloves? She was fine without him! Rose tore off the offending pieces of clothing. 

"I never asked for your help, and I don’t want it! And if you feel that way about it then take your kriffing gloves back, you pretentious prick!" She bit viciously throwing the gloves in his general direction with a satisfying smack as they hit their mark.

Hux caught what had hit him and looked in his hand. The insolent fool took off his gloves and disobeyed his command! 

"Rose!" He roared as he stood up, taking a deep calming breath. “Come here.” He said sternly. 

"No!" She shouted, still seething in anger and pacing around her side of the ship. 

“Rose!” He snapped, why couldn’t this creature just follow his damn orders!

"And you can't order me around, Hux! I’m not one of your subordinates." Rose crossed her arms for emphasis and then remembered that he couldn’t see her.

Hux let out a small, frustrated growl as he quickly closed the distance between them with three long strides. He glared down at her as he snatched her wrist and shoved a glove on. 

“Oh, you are most definitely not one of my subordinates. Because unlike them, I have to repeat my orders to you every karking time before you listen!” He said as he shoved the other glove on her hand. His accent came out thickly with his aggravation. 

“Keep those on” He commanded, spinning her around roughly by her shoulders and marched her to the other side of the ship. They stopped at a wall and he spun her around to face him again, still keeping his hands on her shoulders. 

“Sit.” He ordered irritation still apparent in his voice. Rose opened her mouth to protest but Hux gruffly took hold of her chin, lifting it as he scowled down at her. 

“Don’t even think about making me repeat myself.” He threatened. She closed her mouth and Hux took hold of her wrist and sat down, pulling her down beside him. He threw half of his blanket over her shoulders with a huff and wrapped the other side around his body as he stretched his long legs out in front of them. 

Rose drew her knees up to her chest as she was completely engulfed in the scent of pine wood, leather, and rain. Realizing with mortification that the scent she liked wasn’t the gloves, it was Hux, her head spun at that, his presence was overwhelming. 

She shivered all too conscious of his body brushing against hers, it was too much for her. This was Hux! She shivered again and wrapped her arms around her knees. 

Hux sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you feel better?” He asked quietly. Rose frowned, why does he want to know?

“Yeah.” Rose was warmer but not comfortable, somehow, she didn’t think he cared about the latter. She looked up at him, wondering why he asked. He huffed and dropped his hand from his face. 

He looked down at her and narrowed his eyes. Rose swallowed, very aware of their close proximity, she shivered again.

“Then stop your damn shivering!” He snapped, making her flinch. Rose scowled at him and shuffled away from his side but was stopped with a hand on her wrist. 

“Wait. come here.” He sighed with exhaustion, pulling her back beside him. “I’m just tired.” He said, the closest thing to an apology he would give her. He rested his hand in his lap, seeming to forget that he was still holding on to her wrist. He snaked his other arm around her back, tucking the blanket around her better. 

He leaned his head back against the wall and sighed, closing his eyes and slowly relaxing his features. 

Rose felt the spot where his hand gripped her wrist burn with tingling pins and needles. It was exhilarating and felt comforting somehow. But it was Hux touching her so she slowly slid her wrist out from his grasp. 

She stiffened when he let out a huffing sigh that brushed the hairs at the back of her neck and turned his head away from her. She could hear his breathing slowly evening out and his arm around her back slackened a little. 

Rose sat there for a few minutes unsure what to do next, would he mind if she leaned back into his arm? She could feel the heat radiating off of him and it made her sleepy, making her decision for her. She bit her lip and relaxed into his side. 

For some reason, being so close to Hux felt so right somehow. She felt a storm of conflicting feeling surge through her, mostly guilt over finding comfort in his touch. She felt like she was betraying all her loved ones. She shouldn’t be enjoying his touch, he destroyed her home planet. But how could it be wrong if it feels so right?

She frowned, just for tonight she would relax and enjoy it. She leaned her head on his shoulder and breathed out a long contented sigh, almost jumping when Hux’s arm tightened around her a fraction and then loosened again.

When he didn’t move anymore she dismissed it as an unconscious movement and closed her eyes. Drifting off into sleep, she dreamed of climbing pine trees on Hays Minor in the rain. 

-

Rose was jolted awake when his arm twitched around her waist. 

She looked up trying to see his face but only saw the back of his red head. After waiting for a few minutes and listening to his even breathing, she concluded that he was still asleep. She yawned and leaned her head back on his shoulder again, enjoying the warmth radiating off of him.

She closed her eyes but didn’t even feel tired anymore after being woken up so abruptly. The wind still howled loudly outside and battered the exterior of the ship with angry gusts of snow. 

She huffed in exasperation and looked around the dark ship, there wasn’t very much to see through the darkness. She studied Hux’s sleeping form, what she could see of it. She could only really see his pale hand resting on top of the blanket in his lap; the thin pink scar stood out starkly against his white skin.

She bit her lip, feeling curiosity get the better of her and double checked to see if Hux was still sleeping. He was still facing away from her and remained motionless. 

Slowly slipping off the gloves Rose reached out a hesitant hand and trailed a finger along the freshly healed pink scar, studying the jagged detail. The skin was very smooth but lumpy and uneven.

The pain must have been excruciating, she had put all her strength into the bite and he wrenched his hand free tearing the flesh. He had hid the pain well, if that happened to her, Rose would be screaming in pain.

Rose frowned, but why didn’t he get it reconstructed? The First Order had top of the line medical tech and could easily patch it to be just like new. She sighed, knowing that she would never know. Hux would probably be angry at her if she asked. He would definitely be mad if he woke up and caught her examining it like this. 

If he caught her, he might just leave her on her own to freeze till the morning. She sighed, knowing she had taken a big risk inspecting his scar like this and pulled her hand away. 

She stifled a surprised yelp when his hand caught her retreating one and thread his fingers through hers. Was he awake or did he do it in his sleep?

Hux could hear the rebels breathing become panicked and shallow when he caught her hand but didn’t move his head or open his eyes.

He had woken up the instant he felt her delicate fingers tracing his scar and was about to yell at her for her audacity to touch him but paused. Her touch left a burning trail along his skin and it felt nice. 

When she withdrew her fingers, he quickly caught them, intending to fall back asleep with her warm hand in his grasp. 

When she slowly tried to pull her hand away, he tightened his fingers, keeping hers in their place. Her hand felt perfect in his and he didn’t want to let go, not just yet. He wanted to enjoy her touch for just a little longer.

Rose felt panic rising within her when his fingers tightened around hers that meant he was awake and had just caught her touching him. Why wasn’t he yelling at her already? Her heart was beating so loudly she was sure it would jump out of her chest at any moment. Her hands trembled, waiting for the verbal berating that was sure to come. 

Hux could hear her heart beating at lightspeed and felt her hands trembling in his grasp and felt his insides twist. She was so scared of him and that unsettled him, he wanted to calm her down. 

She jumped when his thumb found her palm and rubbed soothing circles, reassuring her that it was ok. So he wasn’t mad at her? She let out a shaky breath and focused on the slow circles his thumb made. Gradually her hands stilled and her heart slowed back down to it’s regular tempo. 

She closed her eyes and relaxed into his side again. She rested her head back on his, taking in the new unfamiliar sensations.

His touch almost left pins and needles on her skin, it was calming and exhilarating at the same time. She hated to admit that she liked it, he was still Hux after all. But somehow, that fact about him seemed less important. 

She should hate him and his touch, but how could she hate it when it felt so perfect. She bit her lip and frowned, maybe she could just enjoy it for tonight and then hate herself for it later. 

After this they would still be enemies and hate each other, if only Hux betrayed the Order for the right reasons and not his selfish desire for power. Maybe he could be convinced to join the Resistance. No, Hux was far too stubborn to change. Not unless he was promised something better than unlimited power that being Supreme Leader would give him which was impossible, of course.

Just for now, she promised herself as she reached out her other hand and covered the back of his, making him stiffen and relax quickly. 

Hux’s mind reeled, did she enjoy his touch as much as he did hers? He mentally cursed himself as foolish hope rose up in him, someone like her would never want him. She was too foolishly idealistic, hung up on things like morals and kindness and he was the very thing that someone like her fought to destroy.

His mind went blank for a moment when she trailed her fingers along his knuckles. Stars... Perhaps there really was a chance with her. Maybe if she didn’t detest him as much, she could be convinced to join the First Order. 

He stopped stroking his thumb in circular motions and explored the different grooves and lines on her palm while lost in his own thoughts. He smirked when his thumbnail ran along a sensitive spot on her palm and she gasped and twitched her hand away. 

He catalogued that spot in his mind, wondering where else she was sensitive. He explored further, looking for more weaknesses. His throat went dry when he found another weak spot producing an almost inaudible whimper out of her. 

An image flashed through his mind, making him pause. The rebel in First Order uniform, standing beside him on the bridge of a star destroyer. She was looking up at him, the Supreme Leader, with eyes burning with an emotion he didn’t quite recognize yet but he knew it was for him and only him. The sight of her like that filled him with desire for her, desire to make her his forever. A desire to make that image a reality. 

An urge to look into her beautiful brown eyes came over him and looked down at her head resting on his shoulder. Her hair smelled of flowers and sunshine, making his head almost spin. 

He tightened his arm around her waist making her look up at him. Her eyes, there was the smallest glimmer of that unidentified emotion in them. He had to ask her, to see if there was any way she would join the First Order. Any chance she would join him by his side as he ruled the galaxy, establishing order over it. He could offer her unlimited power, credits and freedom. 

Hux opened his mouth to say something but faltered and leaned his forehead on hers, closing his eyes. He couldn’t think of a good way to ask that would make her understand. Rose closed her eyes and soaked up the moment between them, knowing it would never last.

But Rose was confused, he seemed so uncertain, it was strange, Hux never seemed uncertain about anything. 

Her mind went blank when he pulled away and she saw how vulnerable and lost he looked, if only for a second before he masked his emotions from her again. 

Hux was such a real person in that moment, a person with weaknesses, hopes and dreams and not all consumed with hate. Only tonight, she reminded herself. 

“Rose…” He whispered but faltered when Rose placed her hand on his cheek. He sighed and closed his eyes, placing his hand over hers and leaned into her palm. He looked so vulnerable again, like the man behind what the First Order had turned him into. 

“I..-” He started again but was stopped by a finger on his lips. 

“Shhh It’s ok.” she whispered, rising up on her knees so they were level and replaced her finger with her lips faintly brushing against his, much like when she had kissed Finn. Rose didn’t know what possessed her to do it, but the confliction on his face stirred something inside her. She wanted him to forget about whatever it was that was causing such uncertainty on someone so strong willed. 

Feeling him stiffen made Rose realize what she was doing and quickly pulled away, worried that she horribly misread the situation.

She watched his eyes darken and bit her bottom lip nervously, jumping a little when he growled low in his throat reverberating through his chest. 

In a flash his hands were on her cheeks holding her head in place as his lips crashed down on hers in a heated kiss filled with intense, burning need. Rose’s mind went blank, this kiss was completely different than the innocent brush she had done to him. 

Much like everything Hux did, he kissed her with a burning drive. When he ran his tongue over that aggravating lower lip of hers making her gasp, he took advantage of the opening and slid his tongue between her teeth. His tongue invaded her mouth and conquered every inch of it, a small moan escaped her mouth when she started to kiss him back.

His mind went blank for a moment when her fingers raked through his hair, suppressing a small moan. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap, not breaking their passionate kiss. 

He groaned when she clenched a fist in his hair, pulling it slightly. He tightened an arm around her and slid his other to the back of her head pressing her deeper into the kiss making her whimper. 

They were both caught off guard when the ship’s alarm warbled at them, turning on the lights and illuminating exactly what they were doing and with whom they were doing it.

Hux looked at the rebel in his lap, her mouth was red and puffy and her cheeks were flushed. Hux fought the urge to pull her down for another kiss and almost lost but was brought to his senses as the girl's eyes widened and she pulled her hands away from his hair and scrambled to get up off him. 

He watched as she fussed around the ship’s dash, avoiding looking in his direction as shame burned her cheeks. 

He slowly stood up, finding his discarded gloves in the blankets. He schooled his face into the same impassive mask but his mind reeled inside. He kissed her! He lost himself in this varmint for a moment, for a moment he had allowed himself to be vulnerable with her. He mentally berated himself for his weakness. 

Before she stopped him, he was going to ask this insect to join him in the First Order. Did he really want her to be with him? No he didn’t, he definitely did NOT want this disgusting rebel. She was just an irritating distraction, and distractions made him weak and he would not allow her to make him weak.

Rose hid her trembling hands in her pockets as she watched Hux slide his gloves on and felt her throat go dry hearing the leather rasp against his skin. She gulped as she followed the hypnotic motion of his hand as he ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing it down to its regular state of perfection. 

He clasped his hands behind his back and straightened up in full First Order general mode. Rose frowned, why wasn’t he leaving? And then it hit her.

"The intel!" she squeaked, mortified that they still had to talk to each other after they….did that.

“Very well.” He said coldly, glaring down at her with a new look of hatred for her written plainly on his face. 

Hux launched into his debriefing, getting through it quickly. His irritation grew by the minute and by the time he was done and it was her turn to repeat everything he was seething in anger. 

He was angry at the rebel. He hated her for somehow worming her way through his carefully crafted walls and distracting him from his main goal with her stupid and unpredictable idiosicratic actions and her intoxicating eyes, touch and scent. Everything about her personality was incredibly annoying, her kindness was disarming, her ferocity was exciting. The worst was when she cared for him, he didn’t want it nor did he ask for it!

He grimaced when he remembered that those were her words to him before she threw his gloves at him. His anger boiled further, why was he nice to her? Why should he care if she got cold, it was her own stupidity that made her so. He would never allow her to distract him again.

“Wrong!” He snapped when she made yet another mistake, making her flinch. He suppressed a growl when she bit her lip anxiously, making him more angry by her unconscious attempt at distracting him. 

“Start from the beginning.” He snarled. 

Rose took in a shaky breath and started again, feeling her breath becoming shallow and uneven. She clenched her trembling fists in her pockets, trying to ground herself to something. 

“Wrong!” Hux snapped again, glaring murderously down at her. She was making foolish mistakes in her agitation. 

“I’m sorry Hux! I can’t focus when you keep snapping at me!” Rose felt herself becoming light headed as her throat went dry and she blinked away frustrated tears. 

Hux took a step forward stepping into her space. Her head only reached his chest and as she looked up at him her lower lip quivered. Hux dismissed the flash of concern that threatened to wash over him, she should suffer for distracting him and making him feel emotions he thought he had repressed long ago. 

“Start. From. The. Beginning.” He grit out deathly quiet as his jaw clenched. He was one mistake away from exploding in one of his furies he only saved for holovid speeches. 

Rose took a big shaking breath. “The First Order is buying up all Frasium from the galactic-” 

“Wrong!” Hux barked, baring his teeth.

“Hux! I’m trying” She cried, doubling over as her breathing became erratic and uncontrollable. She covered her nose and mouth with her trembling hands trying to stifle her erratic breathing. She felt her vision going blurry and barely registered Hux taking hold of her arms and pushing her back. 

He sat her down in the Pilot’s chair and sat down beside her in the co-pilot’s chair, taking both her hands in his. 

“Breathe.” He muttered, trying to calm her down. He rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands, feeling a little guilty for being so hard on her. She obviously didn’t mean to mess up the intel so much and she didn’t even mean to distract him so much either so he shouldn’t be angry at her. 

He should be angry at himself for allowing it, but as he held her small hands in his gloved ones, he didn’t even mind that she made him weak. He wanted to protect her and take care of her, and he would be happy doing it. That realization didn’t surprise him as much as he thought it should, it just felt natural to care for her. 

He squeezed her hands again, knowing that as soon as he got to the Steadfast, he would start his plan to make her his. She would be with him as he established order in this chaotic galaxy and she would have everything she wanted. 

He watched her with a frown as she slowly calmed down, rubbing soothing circles on the backs of her hands. 

“Sorry.” She said after she calmed down enough, feeling embarrassed that he had to see her like that. 

“I’ll start again.” She took a deep breath, focusing on her hands in his gloved ones to calm her mind. 

“The First Order is buying up Frasium-” Rose saw a muscle in his jaw tighten, trying not to snap at her again.

“It’s Farium.” He said quietly and squeezed her hand gently encouraging her to continue.

“Right, sorry.” Rose took another deep breath and began again, scrunching up her face, trying to remember word for word. When she finished Hux nodded his approval and looked down at their hands. 

Her hands looked so small in his leather gloved ones. He clenched his jaw, feeling a hint of guilt for upsetting her again, he would have to be more careful in the future. 

He gave her hands another gentle squeeze, he didn’t want to be apart from her but knew the sooner he got back the sooner he could start his plan. He met her gaze, they were filled with warmth but also confusion and apprehension about his behavior. His jaw clenched, she will learn to trust him in time once she understands the meaning and purpose of the First Order and takes up the cause herself. 

Before leaving her ship, he cast one last glance behind him, committing the image of her to memory. He vowed that the next time they met, she would submit herself to the First Order.

Rose caught his gaze and held her breath. She saw a new intense drive in his eyes, no longer just driven by the burning desire for power. 

When he left, she frowned, wondering what he was plotting now. She had a bad feeling about it. 

Hux briskly strided to his shuttle, eagerly starting the ships take off sequence. Already running through the preliminaries of his plan in his head, there was much to do. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Rose’s ship took off disappearing out of the atmosphere.

He grit his teeth and flew the shuttle into the sky. The rebel rodent will join him and the glory of the First Order. He contented himself with the image of her in a First Order uniform standing on the bridge. 

-

"ROSE!" She heard Poe's voice reverberate throughout the cantina. She felt heat burning her cheeks as the whole cantina went silent and stared at her, standing lamely in the middle of the room with her tray. Kriff you, Poe. She thought with a frown. She saw him sitting with Chewy, waving at her from across the room. 

She slowly made her way to join him as the catina started to fill with general murmuring of voices again.

Shoving him lightly in the shoulder when she set her tray down “Thanks alot, Poe.” she joked, relieved to see that Finn wasn’t sitting with them. 

Rose sat down and started eating. Poe broke the silence first. "So I hear you're the spy's contact." She rolled her eyes somehow she wasn't even surprised that Poe knew, but Chewy grumbled in surprise. Rose nodded "Yeah, It's been really weird." 

"What's it like?" Rose paused, thinking about it for a moment.

"It's so strange, it was scary at first. but I think we are used to each other by now.“ Rose felt heat rising to her cheeks. They were too used to each other. “ But it’s strange. They are on your side, but you can't forget about all the horrible things they did, you know?"Poe nodded studying her intently as she talked. 

He thought for a few minutes before he broke the silence. "It's general Hugs, isn't it?" 

Rose almost choked on her food. "What? No! Definitely not. Hux is most definitely not the spy. No way." She lied terribly. 

Poe nodded again “Yes it is. I know your sabacc face.”

How could he read her that well? "Poe, I can't tell you anything." She hid her face behind her cup."You're right. But it is Hugs" He said with a shit eating grin plastered across his face. 

Chewy growled in disagreement. Poe turned to him "Oh you don't think so, buddy? Well I'll bet you fifty credits it's Hugs" Chewy and Poe shook hands over Rose's plate as She sighed defeatedly, she really needed to work on her sabacc face.

The three talked for a long time and Poe had made her laugh so hard her sides hurt and she forgot all about the events of that morning. Enjoying spending so much time with Poe again she was almost sorry when they finished their meals. 

Poe turned to her when they were cleaning up their trays. "So a bunch of us are going to watch a holodrama later. Want to join us?" Rose felt a surge of dread, Finn would be there. She didn't want to see him, not yet. 

"Oh, no thanks. I'm not in the mood" Poe looked a little sad at that, but nodded in understanding. "Alright, next holodrama night then." Rose smiled, feeling relieved. "Yes." He looked at her concerned “Promise?” he asked seriously. “Promise.” She reassured

That seemed to cheer him up slightly and they parted ways.

-

Rose was lying down in her bed staring at the ceiling, mulling over what had just happened that day. 

She thought about her time with Hux, his touch felt so right for her, like they were meant to be together. She didn’t regret it, but knew that it could never happen again, they were caught on opposite sides of the war. He was her enemy, having done so many despicable things to innocent people. 

Rose wondered what Hux thought of her, and what he was going to tell her before she kissed him.

She sighed and rolled over, now she would never know. That could NEVER happen again, no matter how good his touch feels. She closed her eyes. She would always cherish that memory of him though. 

Her datapad beeped.

{{Have you made you report?}} 

{Yes}

{{Excellent.}} 

{{Signing off}} 

{Wait!} 

{{Yes?}} Rose bit her lip, feeling awkward for mentioning it.

{I’m sorry about this morning. Can we forget it ever happened?} He didn’t answer for a long time. Did he forget to sign off? Rose frowned.

{{If you wish.}} 

{Great! thanks.}. 

{{Signing off.}}

{Goodnight}

Rose bundled up in her blankets, holding back tears of sadness, it had to be done. 

She sniffed and clutched her Otomok necklace and fell asleep.


	6. Chapter Five: Celebration.

{{Cato Neimoidia. Federation Square. 1900hr tonight. Bring formal wear.}}

Rose reread the message feeling a sense of relief roll off her shoulders, she hadn’t heard from Hux in a week and had started to worry if he had been discovered. 

Cato Neimoidia? Rose frowned, that’s as bad as Canto Bight. She chewed her bottom lip, considering what she could wear that would be formal enough. 

She looked at the ball gown hanging in her room, would it even fit her? It probably wasn’t even formal enough. She would stand out as the worst looking being among the throngs of First Order officers and rich social elites. 

Mentally cursing Hux out for choosing such a snobbish planet, she sat up from her bed and unhooked the dress and slipped it on to see if it fit her. 

-Steadfast-

Tonight was the night he would enact his plan, he would make the rebel rodent submit herself to the First Order. He chose to bring her to this arms deal celebration specifically to show the savage what her life could be like if she joined.

Hux’s face remained impassive but internally he was thrilled to see the rebel again and see the brilliant glow in her eyes.

He watched from the bar in his quarters as his personal droid packed his bag. The festivities would go well into the night so he would be spending the night there, all the high ranking officers would be spending the night in a Cato Neimoidia villa. 

When the droid completed its work, he finished his whiskey and picked up a long range transmitter and a black box from the bar and pocketed them in his greatcoat.

He wordlessly handed his bag to a junior officer waiting for him outside his quarters and made his way down to the hangar with his hands clasped behind his back walking at a brisk pace in anticipation for the evening's events. He normally hated such events but tonight would be different. Tonight would be bearable because he would be sharing it with the rebel. 

-Cato Neimoidia-

Hux dismissed the junior officer as he set his bag on the table beside the door and left quietly. Strolling in and inspecting his rooms, he breathed out a self satisfied sigh as a small smirk graced his lips. The little rebel would enjoy this exquisitely furnished room, it was elaborately decorated with luxurious furniture and expensive art. 

The large room opened up to a balcony overlooking where the festivities were to begin. The room boasted a large four poster bed, a sofa and armchair set on an expensive looking carpet, and famous pieces of art. Golden vines decorated the white walls embellished with colorful glittering gems serving as flowers on the vines. 

Hux opened the large balcony doors and looked down at the flurry of activity in the square. Servants milled about lighting paper lanterns, pouring glasses of some bright red liquid. 

In the middle of the square loomed a large, glittering fountain filled with a liquid that held a slightly pinkish hue. Opposite the fountain rose a colossal bejewelled building that opened up to the square.

Hux could see tables being set up inside and musicians setting up their instruments. 

With a bored scowl, he turned away and commed his lieutenant. 

“Lieutenant, run a perimeter sweep and be sure to be on the lookout for any ships that match the list of Resistance spacecraft specs I gave you.” He had specifically left out Rose’s ship’s specs from the list he gave Mitaka. 

Hux then made his way to the large, overly luxurious fresher and checked his hair, making sure every part of his visage and uniform was perfect. 

-

Rose made sure to park her old tin can of a ship far away from Federation Square. The last thing she wanted was for her cover to be blown because someone had seen her in her ship. 

She double checked herself in the mirror for the fifth time and sighed, itwas as good as she was going to get. 

The dress had fit her surprisingly and she had managed to find some hairpins and lipstick. Pinning the stray hairs away from her face into a low bun, she stared herself down with a frown. Paige was the beautiful one from the family and she was the grubby little sister. The tomboy. She looked awful. 

With a dejected sigh she applied a coat of lips stick and smiled faintly at the color. Rose red. Lastly, she stuck hair pins with pearls on them for added effort. 

Rose looked at the final result. Ugh. she was too unrefined and ungraceful, even if her outfit passed the test, her mannerisms undoubtedly wouldn’t. She thought of Hux, he had a natural grace and elegance. Maybe she should act like him tonight. 

Even in rags, he could pull it off and make it look immaculate. Rose blushed at the thought. Don’t do anything stupid tonight! She frowned, promising that she would keep it together. 

The air was chilly making Rose shiver and cover her arms as she left her ship and cursed. There wasn’t anything warm to wear that was fancy enough in the supply boxes. 

She gasped when she looked at the empty street, it was beautiful. The whole city was gorgeous, being suspended high up in the mountains on a canopy. Each building glittered brilliantly and made her skin glow with spectacular colors. She laughed in wonder at the gorgeous show.

This city was more beautiful than Canto Bight, but Rose knew that like Canto Bight, this city held hidden cruelties and the beauty was only skin deep. 

It still took her a moment to get over her initial wonder and back to the task at hand, meet the spy and retrieve the intel. Hopefully she could be back on Ajan Kloss by sunrise if everything went smooth enough. 

Music from stringed instruments danced to her ears as she drew near to her destination. She paused in the entryway to the square and gasped at the brilliant sight. 

Paper lamps floated above the square illuminating the sight below. Guests in expensive and lavish outfits strutted snobbishly about showing off their wealth in jewels and designer clothing. Rose instantly knew that she was horribly underdressed. 

She bit her lip, toying with the idea of just turning around and leaving, surely she would be singled out here, not that she would want to fit in like some peacock. She didn’t belong here and all of it made her very uncomfortable. 

Rose sighed dejectedly, she had to do this for the Resistance, hopefully it wouldn’t take long and she could get away from this overly luxurious city. 

Dipping her head, she took a step forward but was stopped by a pair of stormtroopers blocking her way. “Halt. What’s your name, ma’am?” One asked, holding a datapad. 

She opened her mouth and closed it floundering like a fish. Internally panicking, what was she supposed to say? Hux didn’t say anything about a guest list. 

“I’m umm-” “She is with me.” A First Order accent trilled behind her. She turned and saw Hux stiffly strolling towards her with his hands clasped behind his back.

Rose studied him for a moment, he was in his simple First Order uniform but still managed to look impossibly immaculate from his perfect hair all the way down to his boots which were polished to a near mirror grade. Her heartbeat quickened and she felt a small blush on her cheeks. 

“Sorry, sir.” The storm troopers moved aside almost fearfully. 

Hux ignored them and took in the sight of the rebel at his side, doing his best to school his features and not betray the fact that she stole his breath away. It was quite impossible for him to tear his eyes away from her. 

He picked up her hand in his gloved one and placed it in the crook of his arm, leading her further into the festivities. Rose gasped at the sight, everything was spectacular.

Hux masked a smirk at her reaction to the view around them, her eyes widened impossibly wide as she took in every wondrous sight with childlike curiosity. 

She quickly schooled her features into a small fierce glare when she noticed him watching her. Such ferocity in someone so small, he did smirk at that. 

“I must admit that I am surprised that a Haysian savage could pass for a First Order elite.” He barbed, partly wanting to ease the tension around them as well as to see the spark in her eyes flare up. 

Her head snapped up at him angrily but calmed down once she realized the jab was intended to get a rise out of her. 

“I’d rather be a Haysian savage than a pretentious First Order prick” She bit back with a small smirk of her own brushing into his arm forgetting for a moment who she was with. He stiffened but relaxed into the touch quickly enjoying the familiarity. 

Hux snorted faintly before he could stop himself and unconsciously gave her hand a little squeeze only then realizing he hadn’t let go of it when he placed it around his arm. And with that, the tension was gone and it felt perfectly natural to be attached at the elbow. 

Rose broke the silence first, looking down “I don’t think I did a very good job though. I don’t think I’m fitting in.” She added as she nodded sadly toward some officers who were staring at her, it brought up all her insecurities from her school days. Hux faltered and tensed looking in the direction she had nodded to, the officers quickly looked away. 

“That is not why you are garnering attention to yourself.” Hux said after a moment his voice was guarded and Rose couldn’t read it so she looked up at him with a small confused frown. 

He stared down at her impassively. “I do not bring anyone to these trivial festivities. Therefore, my subordinates are curious who the woman is that has managed to make their general change his routine.” He finished with slightly hooded eyes leaning in a fraction as his pupils dilated thoroughly lost in her eyes. 

He caught himself before she noticed and straightened up quickly, looking away as his ears burned. 

Hux led them further into the square to distract himself from the rebel at his side.

Rose shuddered and clung to his side as they passed by a group of First Order officers and she dearly hoped she would have to talk to anyone tonight. She was sure that her lack of culture and etiquette would be made obvious. 

“General Hux.” A young looking man in lieutenant's stripes drew to a halt in front of Hux, standing at attention he puffed up his just with an air of galactic importance. 

Hux stiffened to attention unconsciously under Rose’s hand

“Report, lieutenant.” He ordered. 

“We ran a perimeter check, all clear, sir.” The lieutenant said in a crisp First Order accent.

“Excellent. At ease, lieutenant, you are relieved of your duties for the evening.” The lieutenant saluted at that and walked off stiffly into the crowd. Rose felt Hux relax again. 

She realized something with sinking dread, both men had perfect First Order accents. If she spoke, would her cover be blown? What if someone tried to talk to her and grew suspicious?

She squeezed his arm to get his attention.”Hux?” She said quietly so only he would hear. 

“Armitage.” He muttered but didn’t look down at her. 

“Uh, Sorry?” Her brow knit together. Hux moved his arm, dropping her hand and clasped his hands behind his back. Authoritatively looking down at his nose at her in.

“You will refer to me as Armitage until I tell you to do otherwise.” He ordered, his face remained impassive but his voice held a hint of impatience in it.

Rose chewed her lip. He was right, it would be odd if someone were to hear her use his surname, but it seemed weird and too personal to use his first name. 

“Oh, umm. Armitage?” It felt weird in her mouth. The name was smooth and refined and she had to admit that she liked it.

Hux felt a surge of pleasure at the mere sound of his name on her lips and a ghost of a smile crossed his lips. 

“Yes, Rose?” He watched with hooded lids as she chewed her bottom lip. She surveyed the area, uncomfortable with the proximity of so many officers. “Not here.” She whispered as she leaned in. 

Hux led her by the small of her back towards the fountain and sat them both down on the edge so the noise would drown out their voices to any eavesdroppers. He kept his hand on her back and frowned, wondering if she had seen something wrong or had blown her cover somehow. She looked deeply troubled about something. 

“I don’t have a First Order accent.” Hux almost barked out a laugh but masked it and only shook his shoulders faintly with mirth. Was that all, she was nervous over her accent?

Rose furrowed her brows at his mirth. “But can’t that blow my cover?” She hissed narrowing her eyes.

“No.” He shook his head with a smirk. “You are more likely to blow your cover by your uncivilized barbarism than your lack of a First Order accent.” He snarked, earning himself a small splash from the fountain.

“Rose!” He snapped at her with a glare, but Rose saw a glint of humor in his eyes. She stifled a laugh at the offended look on his face and gradually his glare softened and a ghost of a smile spread across his lips.

“Come on.” He said and tucked her hand in the crook of her arm again. 

They milled about the square for a while and chatted together, slowly relaxing into a comfortable rapport with each other. 

Rose clung to his arm tighter when they walked through a crowd of First Order officers. Her nails dug into his arm tensly when he started talking to them, ignoring her standing by his side. 

When Hux felt her detach from his arm and leave the group of officers, he casually aligned himself so she was in his line of vision at all times. 

He halfheartedly listened to the present conversation as he watched the beautiful rebel wander around the square, looking at decorations and dipping her fingers in the fountain. Even if he wasn’t concerned for her safety, it would have been quite difficult to take his eyes off her anyway. 

Rose relaxed when she left the circle of officers and explored the party, this was the first time she had ever been to such a formal event and honestly she hoped it would be the last time. She was sure she had seen some gun cartel members here. 

When a cold mountain breeze hit her back, she shivered and rubbed her arms deciding to go inside and warm up. Rose cast a glance over her shoulder at Hux, he was still talking with the officers. 

She slipped through the crowd and disappeared into the large building. The music was louder inside and guests were dancing an elaborate looking dance. There were also tables set up around the edges where people were eating actual course meals. She watched the whole scene feeling like an outside observer.

-

The one time he looked away for just a moment, she disappeared somehow. Hux could barely keep the frustrated sneer from his face, she was supposed to be by his side! 

He would just have to add that to the list of things he would have to change about her once she joined the First Order, he thought with a scowl as he hunted through the crowd for her. He found her leaning against a wall watching the dancers with wonder.

She jumped when he tightly clamped a hand around her arm and pulled her away quickly, feeling his temper running short. 

“Stop doing that, Hux!” She snapped angrily, trying to pull her hand out of his grasp but he tightened his grip. He led them onto a balcony overlooking a mountain and roughly spun her around before letting go of her. 

“It’s Armitage!” He snapped with a glare and leaned in closer, “And do not leave my sight again!” Her eyes flashed with anger.

“I-” She started angrily but realized that it was no use arguing with him and he was only looking out for the mission. “I just got cold.” She finished softer. 

At that, Hux straightened up and looked down his nose at her but his expression softened somewhat. “You should have told me. Come.” He held out a gloved hand for her and felt a surge of electricity riding up his arm when she took it.

He turned to take her inside but stopped and turned when she didn’t budge. “Rose, did you not just tell me you were cold?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. She was so confusing and frustrating to him, and why did he even like it? When she joins the Order he would have to change that. 

Rose walked towards the balcony and absentmindedly tugged him with her before letting go to grip the railing and gaze in wonder at the sight. She could see the whole mountainside covered with trees, just barely making out a waterfall at the base of it. 

She heard a frustrated huff behind her, “Varmint.” He said quietly so no one else would hear but with impatience in his voice.

“In a minute.” She muttered thoroughly distracted by the view. 

He suppressed a frustrated growl as he quietly moved to stand behind and slightly to the right of her, glaring at the top of her head. His frown slowly turned into a small smirk as he noticed how short she was compared to him, the rebel rodent barely reached his shoulders.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She asked more to herself, not expecting him to respond. 

Hux’s head snapped up realizing that he was staring at her for the fifth time that evening and tried to see what she was seeing in the view before them. Clouds, trees, rocks. 

“No.” He said dryly and saw her jump a little not realizing how close he was. He masked a smirk when she looked up at him with a scowl. Stars, she’s cute like that. It was fun messing with her. 

“It’s just trees and rocks, rebel.” Hux shrugged and stood with his back to the railing facing the festivities uncomfortable by the fact that anyone could sneak up on them. He stood up straight and clasped his hands behind his back.

Rose shook her head slightly and turned to look at the mountainside again. “But don’t you ever just pause and appreciate the beauty of stuff?” She asked quietly and leaned her elbows on the railing. 

Hux’s eyes wandered to her and he caught his breath when the wind picked up and played with the few locks of hair that curled around the smooth skin of her neck. His fingers itched to pull out those damn hair pins and run his fingers through her soft hair, taking in the scent of sunshine and flowers. Stars...

He jumped when she looked up at him and looked away quickly. That was the sixth time he had caught himself staring, his ears burned. Hux realized that she had asked him a question a while ago. 

“Sometimes.” He muttered as he glared at the ground. He had just caught himself doing that very thing. Maybe he should save that dress for when she finished her indoctrination, he would take her to many parties like these. If for any reason, than to merely show her off. 

When she shivered he took hold of her arm a little more gentle than before but still firmly, “Inside.” He ordered coldly. She looked down at his hand and then looked away, chewing her lip, his hand tightened imperceptibly at that.

She nodded, it was chilly out and as much as she didn’t really like the overly luxurious party it was warm there. Hux let go and clasped his hand behind his back again waiting for her to move first. 

When she didn’t turn around he grew impatient again and was about to snap a barb at her but it got caught on the tip of his tongue when she looked up at him.

“Hux-Armitage?” He liked that sound. She should say his name more often. 

Rose was conflicted, the question had been burning her for a week ever since she saw his scar but she wasn’t sure if he would snap at her for her impertinence or plant some vicious down putting comments. 

She sighed when Hux pinned her with an expectant look. He wouldn’t yell at her in public, that would be too suspicious. 

“Why did you save that scar?” She pointed to the said arm where the scar was for clarification and watched as a ghost of a bitter smile crossed his features. He didn’t answer for a minute considering how to answer without giving away too much. 

Hux suppressed a small growl in his throat as he watched her bite her lip and turn away distracted by the view again. He watched the action with hooded eyes and wished she wouldn’t do that. It was tremendously distracting for him. The action made him have irrational thoughts, like shoving his finger in her mouth to replace that pesky bottom lip. 

“It serves as a reminder for me.” He traced out the scar with his thumb clasped behind his back still. Hux watched her impassively as she frowned in confusion but a small smile graced her lips after a moment.

“For what? Not to touch things that don’t belong to you?” She joked. He knew she was referring to her Otomok charm but it had been so uncannily close to the real reason he kept it, and he couldn’t help the slightly pained expression that settled on his face.

“Something like that.” He muttered and looked down straightening his back further. 

Rose frowned again, that made even less sense. Why would he need a reminder for such a stupid reason? That couldn’t be it, he was probably just dodging the question, effectively dismissing it. Rose was about to ask him a whole lot more questions but Hux beat her to the punch. 

“Come on. It’s cold here.” He picked up her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm keeping his gloved hand on hers and led them into the warmth inside.

Rose was going to protest and wrench her hand away to stay outside longer and away from all the snobbery; but when the warm air hit her face and shoulders, she realized how cold she actually was and remained by his side. Hux was right, again. That seems to be a common occurrence with him. 

“General Hux.” Hux turned them around to see an older woman with graying hair and dark skin. Rose could tell immediately that she was a woman of high importance in the First Order.

She carried herself with the same air of self importance and grace as Hux did. They both dominated the space around them with the same confidence that whatever command they issued would be carried out immediately without question. 

“Admiral Sloane.” Hux said with a hint of pleasure in his voice standing up even straighter. As they spoke to each other, Rose could sense that they bespoke a long near friendship type of relationship, even though the way they communicated was overly formal, frosty even. 

Being so close to a First Order admiral made Rose feel uncomfortable, this woman could easily see through Rose’s already weak facade. If the woman acknowledged her in any way, Rose expected that her cover would be blown. 

After a few minutes, Rose tried to pull her hand free to wander around until Hux was done talking but his elbow stiffened against his side pinning her hand there. She discreetly tried to pull free without looking like there was a battle of the wills going on but Hux’s hand tightened around hers for added enforcement. Rose huffed angrily in defeat.

The admiral noticed the slight movement and looked down her nose at her, making Rose feel like she was a bug under a microscope. She could practically see the cogs turning in the older woman's head speaking of a bright intelligence and a tactical mind. 

“And who do you have here. If I may ask?” She asked Hux in the same cold impassive voice that Hux used all the time. 

Rose gulped, thinking that this could be it, her cover could be blown and she would be arrested or shot. The older woman could probably see how out of her element she is here, how unrefined and ungraceful she was. 

Internally panicking, she looked up at Hux silently asking for assurance and caught her breath when she met his sharp green orbs. 

His eyes, they were still just as sharp and intense as ever but they held a reassuring warmth there just for her. There was an affection and appreciation in them that seemed to soften even more the longer he gazed into her eyes, seemingly lost in hers. 

Time seemed to slow down when he smiled faintly but genuinely almost affectionately down at her. Rose’s heartbeat quickened at the sight, he wasn’t the ruthless and cruel general in that moment. 

He was someone who mirrored the strong affection she was beginning to realize she held for him. His eyes burned with that new drive making her realize finally what it was. Desire to be with her, to have her by his side, on his side and share his life with her.

When she returned the smile he quickly glanced down at her red lips with hunger, resisting the urge to lean in and kiss her. 

“Rose.” Hux said with a ghost of a stupid smile still on his face distractedly answering the admiral’s question not bothering to look up at the older woman. He squeezed Rose’s hand reassuringly and stroked it unconsciously with his thumb. 

He didn’t really care about the obvious display of affection and vulnerability he was showing to her. Hux was utterly lost in the rebel varmint's enchanting brilliant brown eyes...His rebel varmint’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some tags are gonna change next chapter just so yalz know.


	7. Chapter Six: Foiled Plans

Admiral Sloane saw the little exchange between the couple and a genuine smile crossed briefly crossed her face. She never thought she would see the day when Armitage Hux let someone into his well guarded heart. 

If she were to be honest with herself, she had thought that the unseen scars Brendol Hux left on his son ran too deep for him to ever find happiness. 

After Brendol Hux was commanded to treat his son as a legitimate heir and train him to take his place, Armitage had grown up into a cold, calculating and ruthless man. His cruelty had even given her rise for concern and she was a seasoned admiral who was used to the cruelties of war. 

But after only knowing sadness and pain all his life, Admiral Sloane was happy for her friend. She only hoped that this ‘Rose’ knew what she was getting herself into. Armitage Hux could be a difficult man when he wanted to be and wouldn’t know the first thing about how to love and be in a relationship, he would probably try manipulate and control her to get whatever he wanted. 

“Well, Rose. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance.” She said as she inclined her head to the younger and so much shorter woman, watching with interest as she moved a fraction to hide behind the general's arm almost shyly, the admiral wondered if this girl had something bigger to hide.

Rose didn’t know how she was supposed to address a First Order admiral, or really any high ranking officer. “Thank you.” Rose bowed her head a little mirroring the admiral's previous movement.

She breathed a small unnoticeable sigh of relief when Hux squeezed her hand in approval and slid his gloved thumb over the back of it. 

As the two officers began to discuss the galactic market, Rose tuned them out with a frown, why was Hux being nice to her? It felt so right being attached to his side, the contact was somehow comforting to her. 

She sighed and leaned into his side a little more, earning herself another squeeze of his hand. It felt so nice but she knew it wouldn’t last. 

If Hux won, he would be Supreme Leader and obliterate the Resistance, executing her in the process because she would never stop fighting. 

If only he could see how evil the First Order was and join the Resistance, fighting alongside her to end the Orders tyranny. He would be a perfect tactician and a valuable asset for them. 

Mentally cursing herself, Rose knew she shouldn’t enjoy his touch like this. It wouldn’t be good for her to get used to it, it’s not going to last. After tonight, they would go back to being spy and contact and after that, First Order and Resistance...In another life, she thought wishfully. 

Rose knew she had to ignore the burning feelings that were threatening to make themselves known to her. She needed space or some sort of distraction at least.

Hux tightened his grip again when she tried to pull away again, he was slowly getting irritated. Clenching his jaw at that, she was supposed to stay by his side.

When she tugged again, Hux politely excused himself from the admiral and stiffly walked off. He turned to her when they were a good distance from Sloane. 

“What is wrong with you?” He snapped as he jerked his arm to make her look up at him. 

Rose glared at him fiercely; he didn’t have to be so mean, she just didn’t want to have to touch him and deal with her unwanted thoughts. Hux sighed and softened his eyes, calming himself down before opening his mouth to speak again. 

He would have to remember to be more patient with the rebel, she wasn’t one of his officers that stood at attention at his side waiting for his orders. 

“Come on. Let’s dance.” He ignored the stunned look on her face and led her towards the dance floor.

“Oh, Hu-Armitage, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She dug her heels into the tiled floor.

Hux ignored the rebel’s protests and casually strolled to the dancefloor pulling her along with him. When he arrived, he turned around and snaked a hand around her waist; only then seeing the look of mortification on her face and stared down his nose at her with his brows furrowed.

“I can’t dance.” She whispered, inaudible over the music. 

“Speak up, Rose.” Hux inclined his long frame down to her so he could hear. Rose stood up on her tiptoes to reach his ear and placed a hand on his arm for balance. She was concerned that her lack of education in common etiquette would give her away. 

“Armitage, I can’t dance.” She whispered in his ear, making him suppress a shudder when her lips brushed his ear. He almost growled in frustration, this rebel was so distracting and intoxicating. She didn’t even know what she was doing to him. Two could play at that game. 

Hux smirked and turned his head to her ear, “I’ll show you.” He whispered back in her ear, purposefully brushing his lips against it. A taunting smirk spread across his face when he felt her shiver under his lips and straightened up enjoying the blush that graced her round cheeks. 

Hux took hold of her hand and placed it on his shoulder before snaking his hand on her around her waist again and grabbed her other hand in his gloved one. He showed her the basic steps to the dance and she followed quickly but stiffly. 

“Stop staring at your feet, rodent.” Hux said quietly so no one else could hear the insult.

Rose looked up at his face and promptly stepped on his foot making him clench his jaw in pain. 

“Sorry.” She muttered but Hux could hear the smile behind it. After a moment Rose tried to pull away with a sigh. “I shouldn’t do this, it could blow my cover. It's obvious that I don’t know what I’m doing.” 

Hux held on to her waist keeping her in place. Despite her not knowing how to dance, he was enjoying himself. “It’s alright. Relax.” He made his tone commanding and not open for debate. 

They danced for a little longer and when Rose relaxed, she felt Hux pulling her a little closer to him. She relaxed even more with a contented sigh closer to him, engulfed in the scent of pinewood, rain and leather. 

“When will you give me the intel?” She asked after a moment and felt his arm around her tense. 

Hux didn’t answer but led them to the center of the dance floor and looked around the room for a moment. 

“Do you see that First Order officer over there?” He indicated his head in the general direction to a table in the corner. 

Rose squinted at the table and saw a lot of officers sitting there, one of them met her eyes and saw who she was dancing with before quickly looking away almost petrified. She narrowed her eyes, that was suspicious. 

“Yeah.” She growled, staring daggers at the nervous looking officer.

“There are more of them around. They are First Order Internal Affairs agents.” Hux stared down at her impassively as she gasped in surprise.

“What do we do? Do they suspect us?” She asked, Hux could feel her heartbeat picking up under his hand. Hux spun her around in an elaborate maneuver as he thought about what to say. 

“Nothing.” He brought her back just as she bristled. “Nothing? What do you mean nothing?” 

“Exactly that, insect. Just relax. As the night wears on, their guards will slip.” Hux watched as she mulled over the new and then slowly relaxed into his touch starting to finally enjoy herself. 

He pulled her closer and masked a self satisfied smirk. Oh course there were no Internal Affairs agents here, he had picked out that poor officer at random; he just made up that story to make her relax and forget about her mission. He didn’t even have any intel to tell her because he planned on asking her to join him and the First Order tonight. 

He held on tight when she let out a contented sigh, closing her eyes and allowing him to lead her across the dance floor. 

Only for a moment, Rose promised herself as she was enjoying being held in his arms. She might as well relax and enjoy herself since they couldn’t get on with their mission yet. 

Hux was unsurprisingly graceful while he danced and it was hard not to get lost in his movements, his touch, his scent, it was all so entrancing. 

When the song ended, Hux dipped her back and when he brought her back up, she rested her head on his chest and let out a happy sigh. The moment felt so right for her, she wished the night would never end. 

She wished they wouldn’t have to be enemies in the morning, but she knew she was starting to feel something very strong and powerful for him. It had to stop or she would never be able to save herself from drowning in these strong feelings. She knew she liked him but this felt stronger, it was NOT love. It couldn’t be.

When she felt Hux’s fingers on her cheek, Rose’s eyes snapped open and pulled away feeling like she was drowning in him. She beelined it for a waiter holding a tray of those red drinks she had seen earlier. 

Rose picked up a drink while internally cursing at herself for being too naive, this was Hux! Why was she too quick to care for people? She promised herself she wouldn’t do that after Finn and she was doing the exact same thing only with an evil monster this time. She needed a distraction to numb her foolish and naive mind from thoughts about this monster. 

Except he wasn’t an evil monster anymore, not to her anyway. He genuinely took care of her even when he didn’t need to. Rose chugged that drink down and took another as Hux caught up to her. 

She downed that one as well and took another.

Hux took one and took a sip before making a disgusted face, it was far too sweet for him. He eyed her as she downed her drink and grabbed another, “You do know that those are alcoholic, right?”. 

Rose turned around while taking a sip daring him to protest. Hux shook his head slightly, mildly impressed by her but also shocked that he was. 

When she grabbed another, Hux felt his irritation growing, considering her size, she probably won’t be able to handle all of it. He wouldn’t be able to talk to her about the Order if she got too drunk.

“Rose, what are you doing?” He sighed but frowned when she looked up at him sadly, something was wrong with her. She was practically beaming when they were dancing. 

He grabbed her wrist when she reached for another, “That’s enough, creature.” He said quietly, trying to keep calm. 

Rose glared and twisted her wrist out of his grasp, Hux matched her steely glare, “What’s wrong with you?” Rose turned sharply to go but Hux caught her arm. “Where are you going?” He snapped in agitation. 

“Balcony.” She mumbled as she wobbled a little. 

His jaw clenched as he pulled her in the direction of the balcony, his anger only got worse every time she stumbled or lost balance. By the time they arrived at the balcony, he was thoroughly agitated over her drunken state. He wouldn’t be able to talk to her and turn her until she sobered up, she needed to be able to think properly. 

This night was not how he expected it. Why couldn’t she just be normal and orderly? 

When they arrived on the balcony, Hux practically shoved her away from him, making her stumble and fall to her knees catching herself with a hand on the railing. He quickly set his drink on the railing and helped her up, feeling a little bad for shoving her. 

He made up for it by standing beside her to catch her if she fell again. She swayed a little as she looked out at the mountain, visibly upset over something. He frowned and wondered what it could possibly be. 

“What’s wrong, Rose?” He asked more gently this time and placed a hand on her shoulder. Rose sighed and closed her eyes allowing him to turn her to face him and lift her chin. “Look at me?” He said gently. Hux felt his inside twist a little when he saw how conflicted she looked,

“I just want this war to be over.” Rose didn’t know how to tell him that she didn’t want to remain enemies, that she wanted him on her side, on the good side. It was too easy to be happy around him, to forget herself and the war around him. She wished the night wouldn’t end. 

Hux gave her an odd look “It will, and once it does, the galaxy will be in perfect order.” 

She sighed defeatedly and turned to face the mountainside again, stepping slightly into his space both to feel his warmth and to enjoy his comforting touch one last time. 

Rose knew that as soon as she returned to Ajan Kloss she would have to ask to be reassigned to a different mission before she got too emotionally invested in him. Kriff, she was already too emotionally invested. 

Hux snuck his arm around her shoulders and faced the mountainside as well, making her sigh and lean into his side. His touch was so soothing and it felt so natural to be like this.

“If you win the war, what will you do?” She leaned her head back on his arm and looked up at him. Rose knew that she wouldn’t be around to see what he would do. 

Hux resisted the urge to sigh, he didn’t want to have this conversation when she was drunk. She needed to be able to think clearly so she could make the better choice once she understood what the First Order was doing. 

“When I win the war, I will be Supreme Leader and establish order and peace in the galaxy.” He added extra emphasis on the when and squeezed her into his side. Rose grimaced and wondered if there was anything that could change his mind. Probably not.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” She probed, Hux met her gaze with a frown narrowing his eyes. 

“Yes, among other things.” He said diplomatically after a few minutes and glanced down at her lips briefly with hooded eyes. 

Rose caught the look with a blush and leaned her head on his shoulder, lost in his intense green eyes. When Hux inclined his head down to her, she closed the space and brushed her lips against his softly. 

When they pulled away, Rose breathed out a shaky breath and closed her eyes. It felt so right and it hurt that they were enemies and would never be together. 

Hux watched sadness fall over her face and felt concern for her. 

“What are you going to do after the war?” He asked, trying to distract her from whatever was making her sad. Rose opened her eyes and leaned her head on his shoulder with a pained expression. 

“After the war, my sister Paige and I planned on travelling the galaxy. We wanted to see everything.” Rose clutched her necklace when she remembered Paige. “But what I want to do is to stop places like Canto Bight from racing fathiers, it’s so cruel. Before the First Order blockaded the Otomok system, I didn’t think anyone could ever be so cruel.” 

Rose reached for Hux’s drink that he set on the railing and took a sip before Hux wordlessly peeled it out of her hand and put it back further out of her reach. He squeezed her shoulder gently, knowing he was responsible for blockading her home system. 

Hux would have to remember what she had just told him for when he tries to convince her to join the First Order. He knew she would join him whether or not she was convinced. She would understand in time.

Rose looked up sharply swaying at the sudden movement.

“Can you promise me something, Armitage?” She slurred a little. Hux furrowed his brows and studied her face. 

“What would you like me to promise?” He asked diplomatically. Rose turned away and leaned on him heavily when she lost balance. 

“If you win, will you promise me that you will make laws to help protect the fathiers?” Hux studied her, she would be able to do that herself because she will be with him. 

“You will be able to do that yourself, Rose.” He muttered sternly. “You will have the First Order backing you.” Rose shook her head and swayed a little. 

“I won’t be around for that, Hux.” She said as she leaned on him. Hux squeezed her shoulder, she was going to fall on her face at this rate. 

“Come on. You’re far too drunk for this.” He squeezed her shoulder and pulled her away from the balcony, allowing her to lean on him for balance.

Hux led her through the crowds of guests to his rooms in the First Order villa. By the time they entered his room, Hux was practically carrying her. She gasped as she took in the sight, everything looked so luxurious it was almost sickening at how expensive it would be.. 

Hux set her down on the silk sofa and disappeared into the fresher. Rose tried to get up but fell back down with a hiss as pain shot up from her ankle and looked at her feet. She had accidentally twisted her ankle on her high heels, making her curse at them. 

She kicked them off and stood up swaying hard just as Hux emerged from the fresher with a glass of water. 

“Drink this.” He shoved her down on the sofa with a hand on her shoulder before giving her the glass. Hux scowled down his nose at her when he saw her shoes unceremonious on the floor and her in her bare feet. 

Rose set her glass loudly on the coffee table too close to the edge making Hux act quickly, snatching it out of her and placing it in the center of the table so she wouldn’t spill it. 

Hux flopped down on the armchair and glared at her as she stood up and strolled around the room and looked at anything of interest. He already thought she was a handful sober, drunk Rose was even more chaotic and difficult. 

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden crash and a loud swear as Rose stumbled into a table sending the metal sculpture resting on it flying. 

“Language, Rose.” Hux muttered, closing his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose already feeling a headache coming on by the rebels disorderly behavior. He flinched when he heard another loud crash and a swear.

“Rose…” He muttered painfully trying to retain some form of patience. He briefly toyed with the idea of locking her in the fresher until she sobered up, at least until she could be less chaotic and messy. He glared at her discarded shoes with his lip curling in disgust. He would have to change that when she joins the Order. 

When Rose remained suspiciously quiet he looked up to see where she had got and panicked a little when he saw that the balcony doors were open. She couldn’t be there, she could barely stand up straight! 

“Rose!” Hux shot up and was at her side in an instant, she was clutching the railing and looking down at the party. When he wrapped an arm around her back steadying her, Rose looked up at him and smiled leaning into his side. All the previous frustration he felt dissolve in that one smile she gave him, maybe her disorder wasn’t so bad after all. 

When she shivered, Hux looked down at her and saw her teeth chattering faintly, “Are you cold, love?” He didn’t know why he called her love, he never called any woman love but it somehow felt right to call her that. 

Rose shook her head stubbornly but shivered again and swayed. 

“Come inside.” He said as he brought her back in, ignoring her whines of protest. 

He picked up his greatcoat that was resting neatly on the back of a chair and draped it over her shoulders. Turning away he closed the balcony doors and locked them. 

“What’s this?” She pulled her hands out of one of the pockets to reveal a small black box, he huffed in frustration as he snatched it out of her hand before she could open it and placed it on a high shelf way out of her reach. 

“Nothing.” He snapped as he turned back to her to see her playing with one of his knives he kept hidden in his coat. “Rose!” He roared again feeling the last vestiges of his patience dissipating. 

He carefully relieved her of the knife only to see the remote transmitter in her other hand. 

“Rose...Just-” He stopped himself and breathed out a dramatic frustrated growl as he checked all the pockets and took the remote from her hands and placed them out of her reach as well. Hux had to admit to himself that her short stature was actually quite useful. 

“Go sit down, Love.” He gave her a gentle push towards the sofa and frowned when he saw how dangerously close his coat was to the floor on her. Maybe she was a little too short. 

He sat down delicately on the sofa beside her and was instantly assaulted by a sloppy wet kiss on his cheek and a giggle at the resulting offended look on his face. After he got over his shock he grinned faintly and shook his head, she was quite cute when she was like this. And he had to admit that he did like taking care of her, she kept him on his toes. 

His grin faded and he crossed his legs gracefully as he thought about what led them to this in the first place, he still didn’t quite understand what happened. She didn’t offer an adequate answer when she asked. 

She was happy when they were dancing and as soon as they stopped she tore herself away to drown some unknown sorrow in drinking. And why did she not believe him when he said that he could help her save her filthy fathiers? What did she think would happen to her when he was Supreme Leader, he thought it would be obvious what would happen, they both seemed to like each other. 

Well as soon as she was sober, he would debrief her on whatever she needed to know. But for now he could ask her pointed questions to see exactly where her loyalties lie. 

Before he could open his mouth to interrogate her, she leaned into his and planted another kiss on his jaw. Hux stared down at her with his intense stern eyes, “Rebel, what do you think will happen to you after the First Order wins the war?” 

The only answer he received was another kiss on his jaw, making him glare at the ceiling with an exasperated huff before looking down at her and studying her. 

She was tracing out the general striped on the cuff of his sleeves. She looked so innocent and happy, he felt a surge of affection for the rodent.

“Answer the question, love.” He said as he pulled her into his lap delightfully catching the smell of her hair. 

“I don’t think I will be around for that, Hux” She mumbled sadly as she took one of his glove hands in hers and pulled off the glove inspecting the groves and lines of his pasty white hand. 

“And why is that?” He asked and suppressed a shudder as her fingers trailed along his palm. Rose didn’t answer choosing instead to trail her nail along the lines of his palm just like he had done to her a week earlier. He threaded his fingers through hers to stop the tracing and kiss the side of her head. 

“Rose, answer,” He whispered in her ear unable to stop himself from giving her ear a small nibble and smirking when she shivered. 

“It’s just that I’m not going to stop fighting the Order, Hux. I’m never going to stop protecting what I love.” Hux frowned at that a little irritated at her fierce loyalty, that would make it harder to make her join. But when she joined the Order, her loyalty would be an admirable quality and he would care for her more because of it.

“Don’t be naive, Rose. Whoever does not submit themselves to the First Order is committing treason and will be executed.” Hux caught himself before he launched into one of his propaganda speeches and took a breath before starting again. “You would not need to protect anyone if they only surrendered.”

Rose shrugged, “Then I guess you should execute me.” She wanted to dismiss the conversation before they started an argument. 

This was the last time she knew she would see him hopefully so she wanted to enjoy their time. She wanted to forget that he was a First Order general and that he had anything to do with that horrible organization. 

She placed the palm of his hand on her cheek and looked up into his piercing eyes. He was visibly angry with her answer but calmed down a little after she kissed the inside of his wrist. 

Hux stroked her cheek with hooded eyes. “Do you want to be with me?” He held his breath as he waited for her answer. Rose closed her eyes with a sigh and nodded into his hand. 

Hux felt elated at that but faltered when she spoke again. “I just don’t think it would work out.” She said sadly.

“It will work, if you wish it to.” He met her gaze again hoping for her to say yes. “Yes, but, how?” 

Hux smirked at that, “Tomorrow.” his plan was going perfectly. His mind was already running over his battle plan for the next morning. 

If all went according to plan, they would be on the Steadfast by noon the next day and he could start her conditioning and indoctrination as early as the day after that. After that, she would be his perfect little First Order Rose. 

As he scrutinized her through hooded eyes, he saw that she still didn’t quite believe it would work but she would understand tomorrow. 

His eyes darkened when she chewed her lower lip and without thinking, he reached up his gloved hand and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. When she gently bit down, a low growl built up in the back of his throat. He stuck it in further feeling the soft wetness of her mouth. 

Rose saw his eyes instantly darken even more when she bit down and felt something stir deep in her center as he stuck it in even further and depressed her tongue watching her impassively with his intense green orbs. 

Rose adjusted herself so she was straddling his lap forcing him to uncross his legs. She gasped when she felt something big and hard pressing into her center. Hux fixed her with a taunting smirk, it was her own fault for straddling him after all. 

He pulled his thumb out of her mouth and settled his hand on her thigh intending to wait until the Steadfast to take things further. It was partly because she was still drunk and partly because he wanted her to be on his side. 

His mind melted when she kissed his neck from the soft skin behind his ear down to the collar of his uniform sucking and nibbling gently making him groan in pleasure. 

Hux’s self control was slowly ebbing away and he started running his hands up and down her sides underneath his coat. A heady groan rose up inside his chest when she started rocking and grinding against him. Sliding his hands down to her hips he guided her movements to a rhythm he liked. 

He jumped when she bit down hard on his neck, “Rose!” He yelled and pulled her head away from the sore spot. “You little-”

His eyes darkened when he saw her grinning with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. He brought her head down crashing his lips against hers, just as he laid her down on her back on the sofa. Moaning when her fingers found his hair and tightened into a fist in his red locks he deepened the kiss. 

But when he tasted the overly sweet drink in her mouth he came back to his senses. 

He mentally cursed her stupidity for drinking so much, he couldn’t continue with her in this state. With one last kiss he pulled away and ran a hand through his hair to salvage some of his appearance but judging by the lipstick smudged around her mouth he was probably covered in it. 

With a frustrated grumble he stood up and took her by the hand leading her to the fresher. Grabbing his bag along the way. 

He wiped the lipstick off his mouth before he dug through the bag and pulled out a pair of simple gray pajamas and soap. 

“Shower and put these on.” He commanded as he turned around with the neat pile of laundry in his hands. 

He faltered at the hurt look on her face, only then realizing how his sudden halt in their passionate makeout session seemed to her. His insides twisted; he never wanted to see that look of rejection on her face again. 

Hux leaned down and kissed her tenderly. “I want you, I’m just waiting until tomorrow, love. So wipe that pitiful look off your face.” 

He shoved the pile of clothes in her before spinning her around by the shoulders he started to take out her hair pins. 

When her soft black curled bounced free from their hold. He masked a wide grin and was engulfed by the smell of sunshine and flowers.

He set the pile of hair pins on the counter and got to work on unlacing the back of her dress. Pausing when he saw the beautiful tan skin on her back, he itched to run his hands along her spine before snapping out of it and to the task at hand. 

When she still swayed a little, he hoped that she wouldn’t pass out in the shower. He would have he listen for anything that could sound like her falling. 

When he was satisfied that she could get out of her dress by herself in her drunken state, he left her to have some privacy; 

As the door swished shut, Rose swayed heavily and let the dress fall to her feet. As she got in the shower, she thought about what Hux had said. 

Did he have some sort of plan? Unless it was to leave the First Order, she probably wouldn’t agree to it and Hux didn’t seem like the type to ever leave the Order. 

It was all he had ever known and he probably couldn’t even imagine a life outside the First of it. But she would be in his life if he did leave he would have her at least. She wished dearly that it would be enough but she didn’t think it was. 

When she was getting dressed, she was just sliding her hand through the sleeve of the surprisingly comfortable pajamas when she accidentally swiped her hand across the counter. The bag that was sitting on it went flying to the floor and its contents scattering. 

“Kriff!” She whispered under her breath and quickly began to frantically pick up everything.

“Rebel, is everything alright?” Hux asked through the door. 

“Yes! Nothing happened!” Rose squeaked, internally panicking. 

“I’m opening the door.” Her head snapped up at that, feeling her heartbeat going at lightspeed. 

“N-No I’m naked! I’m on the fresher, I-I’m in a meeting-” She was cut off mid sentence as the door swished open. “I’m sorry! It just happened.” Rose squeaked and covered her nose and mouth and looked down sheepishly at the mess she caused before looking back up at Hux. 

He was looking down at her with his hands clasped behind his back and a faint amused smirk on his face. “What was that you were saying? Nothing happened?” 

“I just- I wasn’t looking- It just happened.” She said, a little flustered that she had been caught. 

“Things do not just fly off countertops, Rose. You are just a disorderly, chaotic little creature.” Hux strolled in and watched her messily put everything back, he would have to repack it. 

After he watched her haphazardly put the items back without any thought for their dimensions or purpose for a few minutes, he couldn’t take it anymore. “Go lay down, rebel. You obviously don’t know the first thing about packing. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He said as he crouched down and took the bag from her.

“It’s just packing, Hux. It’s not that hard.” She muttered incredulously as she stood up. Hux snorted to that “Says the one who put my sonic razor next to the soap.” 

Rose didn’t even know how to respond to that so she left him to it. 

She unlocked the balcony doors and walked out to check in on the festivities. Music was still playing although softer and slower now and guests were still milling about some of them even stumbled around drunkenly. These people really know how to celebrate, she thought with a shake of her head. 

This city was much older than Canto Bight but filthy rich beings were all the same, profiting mainly off of weapons deals with the First Order probably. It made her sick to know that there were people out there that take pleasure in war. 

A hand on her shoulder almost made her scream and ram her elbow in her intruder's side but the smell of pine wood and rain stopped her and she looked up at Hux fiercely. “Don’t do that! You’re like a kriffing tooka!” 

Hux sniggered down at her. Rose’s anger instantly dissolved as she took in the sight of him with a gulp. His hair was still wet and slightly mussed from his shower and he was wearing the same ensemble as hers but only black. The lack of shoulder padding and his messed up hair made him look completely different to Rose, he looked more man than general and she liked that.

“Stop staring, varmint.” Hux said with a smirk that widened when she blushed at being caught fawning over him and looked away. “Come to bed.” He pulled her by the hand inside and closed the balcony doors again. 

She didn’t want to sleep yet and put an end to the day when she was sure that they would never see each other again. Or if they did, it would be on opposite sides of a battle. “I’m not tired.” Rose protested with a yawn making Hux snort.

“Very well. Goodnight, Rose.” He said as he climbed into bed and faced his back to her masking a smirk at her indignant whine. 

“But Armitage, don’t you want to stay up with me?” She crossed the room and stood over him. Hux breathed out in a huff and met her gaze.

“No.” Hux said coldly and turned away again eager to get the next day's conversation underway. Rose sighed dejectedly at that and sat down on the bed with a slump pressing her back against his and folding her hands in her lap.

“I just don’t want this day to end.” She stared sadly at the floor and heard a sigh behind her before she felt Hux move and wrap his long fingers around her folded hands. 

“There will be many more days like this.” He reassured with a squeeze. Rose bit her lip, unsure whether or not to believe him. 

“How do you know that?” She asked in a smaller voice. Hux let go of her hand and ran the back of his hand down her soft round cheek, “Trust me.” He said softly. 

Did she trust him? He was responsible for so much pain and suffering, so many planets being destroyed and families being ripped apart. But as she looked at him, she could barely see the ruthless general anymore, she saw a man who cared for her asking for her trust. And Rose knew she did trust him. Rose nodded. 

Hux felt a twist in his insides at that, did anyone ever trust him just because he asked for it without having to show anything for it? He couldn’t recall that ever happening to him. Yet here was this rebel girl doing just that. He felt a surge of overwhelming affection for her. 

“Come here.” He muttered and pulled her into the bed with him and wrapped his arms around her waist. He planted a soft kiss on her lips before sinking down into the pillows again. 

He closed his eyes intending to fall asleep but felt a smirk spread across his face when she moved. Did her feet really only brush just below his knees? Stars she was short. 

Rose stared at the ceiling unable to fall asleep feeling too elated over the day's events. She rolled over on her elbows and stared down at his sleeping face, “Go to sleep, varmint.” Hux grumbled. 

“Why? I don’t feel tired anymore.” She twirled a piece of his red hair on her finger. 

“Because I said so.” He opened his eyes and looked at her exasperation apparent in his voice but Rose could see a spark of affection and pleasure in his eyes. 

“Ok general.” Rose grinned and let go of his hair and moved away but was stopped by his fingers under her chin. 

“What was that?” His voice was stern and low but a soft smirk played across his lips. 

“Er, I mean, yes general Hux, sir.” Rose saw a dark glimmer of possessive desire flash in his eyes when she said that. 

“I thought so.” He said huskily and drew her to him to plant a kiss on her lips. “Now sleep.” He ordered before rolling over, facing away from her and remained motionless.

Hux had trained himself early in his life to sleep on demand, anywhere, anytime but he was also a very light sleeper. It served him well when avoiding assasination attempts. He also hated being disturbed in his slumber because he ran on a strict schedule and wouldn’t allow himself to sleep in if he had lost sleep over anything like some common ignoramus barbarian. 

But the rebel beside him kept moving, she wasn’t particularly loud, but everytime she moved it would disturb his slumber. At first, he decided to be patient with her. After all, it was their first time sleeping together in a bed but after twenty minutes of her tossing and turning his irritation flared to life. 

“Kriff Rose, are you comfortable yet?” He snapped sarcastically. 

“Sorry, it’s just that I’m not used to this bed.” She backed up and pressed her back into his finding comfort in his proximity and heard a frustrated growl behind her. She ignored it, she liked touching him. 

“What does that have to do with anything?” He griped. It was a question of comfort and not where they were. 

“It’s hard to fall asleep in unfamiliar places. You don’t get like that? I thought everyone-” “No.” Hux growled out before she could finish her ramble. His tone promised his wrath if she kept on talking. 

She sighed and flipped her pillow to the cold side and backed up into Hux as far as she possibly could and relaxed waiting for sleep to come. 

First, her knee became itchy so she scratched it and then internally cursed when she realized she accidentally uncovered her other foot so she brought it back up and relaxed. 

It was when she moved to brush a hair out of her face that made Hux lose it. 

“For kriff’s sake, Rose.” He let out a dramatic sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Resisting the urge to kick her out of the bed. 

Rose felt him roll over and snake his arm under her head and the other around her waist trapping her arms under them. For added measure, he draped his leg over hers effectively trapping her in a cage of his lanky limbs. 

Rose didn’t mind. To her, it was the most comfortable place in the galaxy. She sighed contentedly with a large smile and kissed the inside of his arm under her head. 

“Goodnight, Armitage.” She said happily earning herself a tired growl. “Go to sleep, varmint!” 

Rose relaxed into his presence, soaking it in for what could potentially be the last time. Hux’s breathing evened out almost immediately and she could feel it on her exposed neck.

She focused on that instead of her unfamiliar surroundings and quickly fell asleep as well.


	8. Chapter Seven: The Plan

Rose woke up to a bright light and something smacking into her face. She opened her bleary eyes to see a ration bar sitting next to her on the pillow. With a frown she closed her eyes quickly against the bright morning light and rolled over intending to fall back asleep. 

“Breakfast” Came the dry, First Order accent that made her gasp as she remembered where she was and who she was with. 

She lifted her head and looked around to see Hux standing over her with his greatcoat on and his hands behind his back looking ever like the First Order general he was. 

Hux smirked as she mumbled something incoherent and flopped her head back on the pillow and sat down beside her. He would have to train her into following a disciplined schedule, she wasn’t a rebel savage anymore and had standards to live up to. 

“Wake up, love.” He gave her shoulder a gentle shake. She was completely limp but her face scrunched up in protest over being moved. 

Hux chuckled and pulled off the blankets making her whine in protest at the sudden loss of heat. He pulled the pillow away from her head and picked up her arms into a sitting position. 

She yawned and leaned against him, “It’s too early, Hux.” She mumbled into his uniform. Hux stifled a snort, he had been up for an hour and a half already before deciding that she had slept in enough. 

“Come here.” He led her to the coffee table with an arm around her waist. “Here.” He said as he pressed a mug of tea into her hands. 

Rose took a sip and pulled a face. “Kriff what the hell is this?” She growled knowing her morning was off to a horrible start. 

“It’s tarine tea.” Hux smirked at the disgusted look on her face. She glared up at him “Well why don’t you just take this karking engine oil and shove up your-” “Go get ready and then report back here in five minutes.” Hux stopped her before she could finish that thought and took the mug out of her hands. 

He spun her by the shoulders and gently pushed her in the direction of the fresher watching as she stumbled inside and closed the door. It was only then that he realized he had been staring at her backside the whole time and shook his head to snap out of it. 

To kill the time, he made the bed and smoothed out every single wrinkle making it look like something out of a holopic before checking his chrono. Five minutes had passed and she still wasn’t out. 

He clasped his hands behind his back and strolled to the window. It was two minutes later that he heard the fresher door swish open. Hux was about to turn around and give her an earful about promptness and punctuality but was stopped by arms snaking around his waist wrapping him in a tight hug. 

Rose let out a hum of contentment taking in his scent for what was probably the last time. Her night had been perfect after all, and she would always remember her time with him fondly even though he was Hux. That name would always be different to her now, he would hold a special place in her heart as Armitage Hux the man and not the First Order general. 

Hux’s irritation instantly dissolved at the contact and he turned around to wrap his arms around her tightly. He couldn’t help the ghost of a genuine smile that crossed his features as he brushed a gloved hand through her hair.

“I’m happy that I got to know you. I’ll remember you.” She sighed feeling both happy and sad as she came to terms with letting him go forever. 

Hux’s smile faltered at that. No, this wasn’t the last time for them, it was the beginning. He couldn’t let her go, she was slowly becoming one of the only lights in his life. He knew he could offer her so much just to make her be near him. 

He detached himself and held her hands with a squeeze. “It’s time to talk.” 

He pulled her to the sofa and pushed her down by the shoulder before sitting down in the armchair across from her. Careful to keep distance between them so she wouldn’t distract him, Hux knew that this conversation was very important even though he already knew the outcome. He wanted to be diplomatic because he didn’t want to have to hurt her so he chose his words carefully. 

He crossed his legs elegantly and folded his hands in his lap before taking a deep breath and started. 

“You told me that you would like to see the galaxy and impose strict bans on the breeding and selling of fathiers for races and social status symbols amongst the social elite. You primarily wish to abolish animal cruelty” Rose nodded, he phrased it much more eloquently than she ever could but that was the jist of it. 

Hux continued. “When I seize my rightful title as Supreme Leader, I will make laws to protect your little beast friends if you do one thing for me.” Rose frowned but nodded, “of course.” 

“Join me.” Rose sucked in a breath but Hux continued before she could object. “I will take you to see worlds you have only heard about in legends, I will show you things that will take your breath away. I will give you all the credits and power you could ever dream of. I only ask that you remain by my side as I establish order in the galaxy.” 

Rose felt her heart sinking but let him finish his offer. “All this.” He gestured lazily around the room. “This is only a small fraction of the life you could have. I want to take you away from the filth and chaos of your past life and give you a life in the comfort and protection under the First Order. I want you to be in my life.” Hux added the last part quietly and looked down waiting for her answer. He never was this open with anyone.

Rose remained quiet and fidgeted with an armrest on the sofa avoiding his gaze. 

Hux frowned, why didn’t she say yes yet? His proposition was nothing but beneficial to her, her old life was probably filled with being surrounded by disgusting vermin she called her friends. She probably always lived in a constant state of fear for her continued existence. 

“After I win the war, I will establish peace. The First Order will put an end to all the pain and suffering in the galaxy. We will end this war once and for all.” Still no answer.

“Don’t you see, Rose? We both want the same thing. We both want peace in the galaxy, you are just too blind to see that it is the First Order that will bring that about.” 

Hux grew impatient when she still didn’t answer. ”We are not enemies anymore. We can be together...You will be mine, varmint.” Hux said in a quiet growl. He wanted so badly for her to say yes. He wanted her to accept what he could offer, what he could bribe her with just so she would willingly stay in his life. He wanted her to want him.

Rose’s head snapped up at that and she saw his mood darkening the more she didn’t answer. Rose didn’t want to end their time together like this, they were bound to argue viciously over this. 

“I-I don’t think I can do that, Hux.” Rose said sadly. “We-” “WHY?!” Hux demanded looking shocked and very angry and hurt over the sudden rejection. 

Rose felt her heart sinking at the sight of him, he looked like he was in pain but was masking it with anger.

But deep down, she could see a deeply ingrained shame. Shame for never being wanted by anyone. Shame for never feeling adequate. 

It hurt Rose to know that Hux was feeling like that, because she wanted him and thought he was more than enough for her. In another life, he would be perfect for her. She wanted to tell him that he was good enough and he was wanted.

She wanted to comfort him and to say yes to what he wanted her to do, but she just couldn’t do what he was asking. 

Rose stood up and paced the length of the sofa wringing her hands trying to come up with the best explanation that would both appease and sooth the pain she was going to cause. 

“I want to be with you, Armitage, but...I can’t..” She looked at him, he was glaring down at the carpeted floor murderously but remained completely still, that was a good sign, right? “I can’t join the First Order…” 

He flopped his hands on the armrests as his eyes snapped up to her, pain, anger, hurt apparent in them. “And why is that?” 

“The First Order is evil, Hux. It started this horrible war - “ “The New Republic was weak! They deserved to die!” Hux snapped and re crossed his legs, that was the only sign of his pent up energy.

“No, Hux. They didn’t deserve to have their whole government destroyed killing the whole Hosnian system in the process. Those were innocent lives!” Rose’s voice started to rise as her pacing became more erratic. She felt her breath becoming short and she wrung her hands in her shirt. 

“The First Order took action to protect the outer rim territories that the New Republic ignored! They were turning into the same expensive, bureaucratic, demilitarized mess filled with useless politicians arguing in a disorderly throng! And you seem to forget that they refused to help your precious little Otomok system when you needed support!” He spat out turning even more pale in his fury. 

Rose gasped and rounded on him fiercely. That was a low blow and he knew it. 

Hux leaned back in his seat and leaned his head against his fingers forgetting all about proper posture and professionalism. He glowered up at her murderously, sinking even lower in his seat and clutching the armrest so tightly he could hear the leather creaking. 

Hux felt his composure slowly seeping away and his world crumbling around him. She said she wanted to be with him. He never put himself out there like he had just done with this varmint and just got bitten for his troubles. 

“And who did we need saving from, Hux? You!” She was right of course, Hux thought as he glared daggers up at her. He uncrossed his legs and stretched them out effectively blocking her room to pace around. “There are sacrifices in war.” He muttered into his hand.

“Hux! You weren’t even at war!” With Rose’s room for pacing blocked off, she waved her hands around in nervous energy. “You set up your blockade during the cold war and called it an internal affair so the New Republic couldn’t save us!” 

“And even if you were at war, it doesn’t make it right! You conscripted all my friends, you forced everyone to work in mines until they died from exhaustion. You stripped the planet of everything, and when there was nothing else to take, you tested your weapons on whoever was left! You killed my family, Armitage!” 

Hux remained deathly still as he glared up at her. Rose never saw such bad posture in him, it was like he was slowly coming apart. 

Rose continued but more brokenly. “The First Order is evil and it will always be evil. It takes whatever it pleases from innocent people who can’t even defend themselves and-” Her breath hitched and she looked away blinking hard against the tears. “I want to be with you but I can’t do it, not while you’re still connected with that hideous monster you call the First Order.” 

There was a loud crash as Rose accidentally knocked Hux’s mug of tea off the coffee table and onto the expensive carpet. The dark amber liquid instantly started seeping into the silk threads.

“Kriff!” Rose whispered to herself and jumped over Hux’s sprawled legs as she ran to the fresher to grab a towel. 

She jumped over them again and instantly kneeled down mopping up the liquid as best she could. Her breath hitched as she held in a sob and faced away from Hux, not wanting him to see her tears.

Hux rubbed a gloved hand over his eyes so irritated at the clumsy varmint’s penchant for chaos. He was internally reeling from her outburst, from the rejection, from her dredging up all his ruthless deeds before him. And why was she even bothering to clean up? It was going to stain no matter what she did and their conversation was much more important than a stupid carpet in some rented villa. 

“Just leave it.” He said quietly in a voice made husky by pent up emotion. 

She didn’t stop. The fact that his direct order was so blatantly ignored sent the last hold on his temper flying. 

“I said leave it, Rose!” He roared. His hand slapped from his face to the armrest and tightened painfully around it trying to keep himself seated and still. 

“I can’t, Hux!” Rose stood up and wiped her cheeks angrily. “That’s the difference between you and me! I made a mess and want to clean it up because I care about people and I don’t want them to suffer because of me!” 

Rose wiped her cheeks roughly as the only thing in the room that was heard was the creaking leather of Hux’s gloves. 

“Liar.” Hux said softly. 

Rose wiped her cheeks and looked down at him. The moment her warm brown orbs met his icy green ones, he shot up and grabbed a fistfull of her hair. 

“Liar! You want to make me suffer!” He tugged it roughly back so she would look up at him. He ignored her pained whimper and twisted his fist making her yelp. “You said you wanted to be with me, Rose!” 

“I do! I want you, not the First - “ She yelped when he pulled harder cutting off her words. “I AM the First Order!” He roared and shook her. 

When Hux searched her eyes and saw fear, he roughly let go with a downward tug forcing her on her knees. Rose huddled to the ground and covered her face, trying to calm her erratic breathing. 

He turned around and paced, running a hand through his hair trying to calm himself down. She wasn’t supposed to fear him, he was supposed to be her protector. That look, looking down at a helpless creature with fear in it’s eyes reminded him too much of Brendol. And he was NOT like his father.

It was Rose letting out a stifled, choked sob that brought him to his senses and he was on his knees beside her in an instant. 

He grabbed her cheeks tenderly in his hands and brushed back the hair out of her face searching her eyes with his own guilt ridden ones. He was supposed to take care of her but he wasn’t. 

“Rose…” He barely whispered as she let out another choked sob muffled by her hands. He pulled her into his chest weaving their knees together. 

While whispering a stream of apologies in her ear, he gently rubbed the back of her undoubtedly sore head and rocked her back and forth unconsciously. 

He felt a pang in his heart when his uniform was soon soaked through by her tears. “Oh, Rose, I’m so sorry.” He whispered sadly and kissed the top of her head. 

Rose pulled away to say something but her breath caught and she covered her face again doubling over into his lap. Hux felt his insides being torn apart at her broken form, and hoped he had the willpower to break her down further. She was far too stubborn and idealistic for her own good. 

He picked her up and settled her into his lap as he sat back down in the armchair. Rose hid her face in his neck while clutching at the lapels of his greatcoat in a death grip. 

Hux hushed her and rubbed her back, waiting until she calmed down a little more. 

Rose pulled away trying to talk to him again through shaky breaths “I want to be with you, Armitage...but I can’t with the First Order...I..” Hux pulled her into him again as her breath hitched. 

Hux rubbed her back as he steeled himself for round two, she would understand everything in time. 

“I just want you...nothing else...just let me love you..” She sobbed brokenly into his neck. 

Hux paused at her words before slowly continuing to rub her back while staring off into space. She will understand in time. Hux was too far gone to separate himself from the Order. He was the First Order. And she would be too once she submitted and he indoctrinated her into. 

Hux took a full minute to steel himself. 

“Rose?” He said coldly, forcing his face to remain impassive. 

She didn’t answer but breathed unevenly into his neck. He wrapped his hands around her arms gently and pulled her away from his neck to look deeply into her scared watery eyes. He forced his eyes to remain sharp and focused in his usual cold mask. 

He brushed her hair back from her face again and cupped her cheek brushing a tear away with his thumb. He knew that he could never let go of this Haysian varmint.

She was his, ever since he saw her on her knees in front of him on his ship he wanted her. He could never get her out of his mind. She was something he didn’t know he had always wanted. But he saw her, he had thought he could never have her. And now she was right here in his lap allowing him to touch her, to talk to her, to gaze into those beautiful warm brown eyes.

“Rose, you are never going back.” Her brows knit together at that as she slowly shook her head not believing his words. 

“Hux, what are you..of course I..” Rose asked breathily through her teary eyes. As Hux pinned her with his cold gaze, he could feel her heartbeat slowly picking up. 

“No, Rose. You are going to the Steadfast to join the First Order.” Hux wiped another tear that trailed down her cheek. Her breathing became shallow. “No, you can’t make me…” 

Hux masked a sad smile at that. “I can, but I won’t. That’s why I will give you a choice.” His face remained impassive but he lovingly brushed his hand through her hair. 

“Listen carefully, Rose. I have placed a Mandator VI-class Siege Dreadnought just outside sensor range around Ajan Kloss.” Rose gasped and blanched. “They are awaiting my command.” 

Hux pulled her into his chest and leaned back in his chair when she viciously struggled to get out of his grasp. He held one hand to keep her head down so she wouldn’t bite and one around her waist to keep her down as she struggled like a wild animal. 

“I will leave the choice up to you, Rose.” Hux said coldly but internally a storm was running through him. Could he really do this to her?

“You can’t do this, Hux..Please don’t do this!” She begged as her breath hitched. 

When she grew tired of struggling against him he spoke again. “Make your choice, Rose.” Her fighting renewed at the sound of his voice. “If you do not choose, I will make the choice for you.” Hux closed his eyes when her fighting stopped and her crying began again. 

“Hux, please..” She whimpered. 

Hux felt himself wavering but knew he couldn’t back down from this. The thought of never seeing her again filled him with fear. 

With a deep breath he rolled her onto her back and held her down with a hand around her waist and rested his chin on top of her head. 

“Do you see this, Rose?” He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up for her. “This is the remote that will tell the dreadnought to fire.” She gasped when she saw it was the remote she found in his pocket the night before. 

“Hux, please don’t do this. You’re toying with innocent lives!... Armitage please.” She swiped weakly at the remote in his hand but his arms were so much longer than hers. She covered her mouth again as her breathing became erratic.

“Choose, Rose. I don’t have all day.” Hux said coldly but inside his insides were twisting in knots at having to hurt her. He held the remote to the side and spun it between his fingers teasingly. 

“Armitage don’t...you’re not like Brendol..” Hux closed his eyes, that one hurt..

“It’s not up to me, Rose. This is your choice.” He replied a little softer this time. 

But Rose was too distraught to notice the difference in his voice. Her breath hitched violently “...don’t..” Rose felt herself going lightheaded as her body started shaking uncontrollably. 

“That is not a proper answer, rebel.” Rose tried to bring up her knees to compress her lungs so she could breathe better but Hux stopped her by hooking his legs around hers. He leaned back in his seat further bringing her with him so it was even harder for her to breathe. “Hux...I can’t..breathe.” 

“Choose, or I will press the button.” Hux’s mood was darkening by the second, he hated having to break her down this much. She didn’t have to be so damn stubborn. 

“Yes...I..will..” 

As soon as she said that, he sat up and doubled her over so she could finally control her erratic breath. Hux rubbed her back soothingly feeling utterly conflicted. He wanted to be happy and gloat over his victory but all he felt was pain for causing her so much hurt.

He clutched her close to his chest and let her cry feeling the tears soaking through his uniform. 

As soon as Rose calmed down enough, she struggled to get up and maybe run away or steal his remote but Hux held her down sensing her intent. Rose turned around to straddle him and flung a series of punches into his chest. 

Hux allowed her to beat him even though he knew he would be sporting bruises in the morning, she needed to vent her frustration otherwise she would resent him forever. Hux was used to beatings anyway and kept quiet until she tired herself out and he pulled her into his chest again. 

“I trusted you..” She sobbed into his shoulder. Hux rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes forcing the surge of unwanted emotions down. 

He had done everything he said he would, he found a way for them to be together. It just happened to be an option she didn’t like. She would understand in time.


	9. Chapter Eight: A New Life

Rose woke up engulfed by the scent of pinewood and rain. Upon further inspection she realized her face was pressed up against a black woolen coat, Hux’s greatcoat. As it all came back to her, she scrambled out of Hux’s lap.

Once he let her go, she lost her balance and fell on her backside on the floor with a surprised yelp and glared up at him ready for murder. With sinking dread, she noticed that they weren’t in the villa anymore, they weren’t even on Cato Neimoidia, they were on a Upsilon command shuttle. 

She watched with a confused frown as Hux crossed his legs and looked away from her disinterestedly and examined his gloves. There was a hint of pain in his features but he ignored her otherwise. 

Hux had a cat once, on the Supremacy. Millicent was her name. She had been a wild cat when he first found her, she was so scared and fought viciously giving him a few good scratches in the process. When he tamed her, all he did was show her kindness but ignored her otherwise and gradually Milicent came to him for comfort. 

He blamed Ren for her passing. After Ren usurped the Supreme Leader, he had been so adamant on assaulting Crait and didn’t give Hux the chance to save her from his quarters. No one thought to check his quarters for any pets. 

Hux’s feigned disinterest seemed to work on Rose as she relaxed slightly and started to look around the shuttle frantically with almost wild eyes. 

It was only the two of them and a pilot droid. Hux had specifically requested his own shuttle once he found out he wouldn’t be coming back alone. Rose didn’t need the extra First Order officers gawking at her and making her feel uncomfortable. 

He looked up when he heard a gasp and checked to see what Rose was looking at. They were nearing the Steadfast, the sharp detail of its surface cannons and sensory systems starkly visible against the blackness of space through the cockpit window. Hux noted with a hint of concern that her body started trembling like a leaf. 

Rose instantly became nervous over being seen, she was still in the pair of pajamas Hux gave her. What would they think of the way she looked, would they think she was some sort of sex slave? Was she going to be his sex slave? 

The storm troopers black hollow eyes were unnerving, they didn’t betray what they were thinking. They were all just brainwashed beings trained to kill and oppress. 

Taking a deep shaky breath, she calmed her nerves. If she was going to be a prisoner, she would take it with dignity and make his life a living hell until he let her go. 

When they landed and the ramp lowered, Rose could see squads of storm troopers, officers and droids everywhere. Being back in a star destroyer hangar brought back awful memories of being on the Steadfast. Being held down on her knees in front of the man who she was so foolish to ever trust waiting for her execution. 

She jumped when Hux grabbed her elbow and wordlessly led her down the ramp. She kept her head down as her bare feet slapped the jetblack floor as they briskly walked. She was quite thankful that there was no storm trooper escort to welcome them and Hux walked quickly enough down the halls making it hard for anyone to stop and stare. 

Rose tried to remember the intricate twists and turns they took but soon lost track and gave up. 

When they arrived at the high ranking officers level, Hux punched in an intricate code on a nondescript door and it swished open to reveal an office. 

She let him pull her in as she took in her surroundings, his office was very large but minimalistic in furniture and decor. It only contains a large desk and chair with a large window behind it. 

He led her through a side door to reveal his personal chambers. His living area contained a sofa and armchair next to another large window. Further into the room was his bed with black silk sheets with two adjoining rooms which, on later inspection, turned out to be the fresher and small kitchen/dining area. His quarters were smaller than what she would expect from a general, it was obviously meant for one person to live in.

Rose stood in the middle of the room and frowned, everything was black and from what she could see, Hux had absolutely no personal items. His lifestyle looked to be fully utilitarian. 

“When I am not required on the bridge, I am usually at work in my office.” His First Order accent cut through her thoughts and she looked at him.

He was standing with his hands clasped behind his back as if he was delivering a speech to her rather than welcoming her into his home. 

Rose ignored him and looked around, this was to be her life for the foreseeable future. 

If she had any tears left, she would have cried then. Being held captive by the man she thought she might have loved but betrayed her trust hurt so much. Being kept prisoner in his black First Order chambers sounded like the worst possible thing that could have happened to her. 

She turned her back to him and walked to a wall and sat down on the floor burying her head in her arms.

Hux felt a painful pang in his heart at the sight of her huddled on the floor looking impossibly small and lost. 

With a sigh he moved to crouch in front of her “You will learn to enjoy yourself here, Rose. You may not like it, but this is your new life now. I must report to the bridge now, I will be back in a couple hours.” He wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her somehow but his touch would probably not be welcome. 

When she heard the doors swish shut behind him, she let a new flood of tears run down her cheeks. 

Hux had played her so easily, she was too naive for her own good. She silently cursed her stupidity, she had been so quick to think she had loved Finn and even though she had vowed to herself that she wouldn’t be so naive again, she had done the exact same thing to Hux except worse. 

Only what she felt for Hux had been so much stronger. She had thought he returned her feelings. No, what Hux did was so much worse than anything Finn could have done. 

She wasn’t sure when she would recover from what Hux did to her, if ever. What she had felt for Hux had been so real and exciting, Rose knew that she would never stop feeling something for him even though she knew she shouldn’t. She would always remember their time the night before fondly. 

When Hux returned a couple hours later, he found her in the exact same spot as he left her in. He sighed as he deposited the box of her uniforms by his closet before advancing to stand in front of her feeling his heart twist painfully. 

Rose saw his leather bound boots blocking her vision of the floor and wondered how long it would be before he decided to take her. Kriff..She mentally kicked herself. Her first time would probably have to be with this cold hearted monster. 

She wasn’t waiting for the perfect time or anything, she just never had the time to be in any relationship. She was always too busy with the stupid war to really think about men. 

They were usually into Paige anyway, and only ever talked to her to get closer to her big sister. Rose didn’t mind though. She was only twenty three, but now she wished deeply that she had been with another man before Hux.

At least she would have a happy memory to draw upon while he was having his way with her. She mildly wondered how old Hux even was. Knowing her luck with men, he was probably some dirty old man who's into weird kinky stuff. 

“Rose..” Hux sighed as he crouched down on one knee in front of her. “I know you hate this, but, give it time.” 

Rose buried her head in her arms again. “I just want to go home, Hux…” She whimpered.

“This is your home now.” He replied coldly but paused when she flinched. 

She didn’t look up when she felt his hands on her arms gently lifting her up “And floors aren’t meant for sitting on.” He finished tenderly. Rose barely registered him walking her to the sofa and setting her down on it. 

He turned away from her and started unpacking her new things in his closet all the while keeping an eye out for her. She drew her knees up to her chest again and buried her head in her arms. 

Hux felt another painful twist inside, he didn’t think she would be this distraught over the whole ordeal. He wondered if there was anything he could do to make her feel better somehow and to make her trust him again. This should be a happy occasion for the both of them. 

“What’s your plan for me?” Her scared but defiant voice broke him out of his thoughts. 

Hux paused his unpacking and looked at her, she was glaring at him but there was fear and uncertainty in her eyes. “My plan is to put you through a personalized First Order indoctrination process” Hux continued to unpack as he spoke. 

“You will follow a disciplined schedule I have crafted to slowly perfect you into the most perfect and beautiful First Order officer. After you graduate from your training, you may choose whatever career trajectory you wish.” Hux finished his unpacking and sat down beside her and held out an open palm for her.

“I would prefer to be able to see you on the bridge with me but if you wish to work somewhere else, I will understand. But, I want you to understand, Rose, that you will never be my subordinate.” When Rose didn’t take his offered hand, Hux peeled one of her away from her knees and held it. 

“We will always be equals, Rose.” He squeezed her fingers reassuringly. 

“I don’t want to do any of that.” She whimpered at the prospect of being forced to work under the very organization that took everything away from her. 

Hux smiled sadly, but didn’t back down. “You will be perfect, Rose.” He reassured and squeezed her hand when she dipped her head into her knees again, feeling another rush of tears. This was worse for her than being held captive against her will. At least she could still defy the Order in her own way but being brainwashed to love it was hell for her. 

“You will understand in time, love.” Her head snapped up at that and Hux could see how red rimmed her eyes really were with all the crying she had been doing that day. 

“Don’t call me that!” She pulled her hand out of his grasp. “You’re a monster!” She spat before staring down at the floor with a quivering lip. 

Hux sighed and stood up with an aching heart at the sight of her falling apart. He didn’t want her to suffer this much, her tears always affected him more than he cared to admit. 

Seeing her huddled in a small ball reminded him too much of the women his father would bring home with him from missions. They were distraught and would sometimes mentally shut down like Rose was doing right now. 

Hux ordered dinner to be sent up from the officer’s mess hall and then frowned at her huddled form considering what to do next. 

With a small sigh he grabbed a spare blanket from his closet and draped it around her shoulders before setting a glass of water in front of her on the coffee table. 

He sat beside her and crossed his legs before placing an arm around the back of the sofa whille resisting the urge to draw her into his side. Rose would understand once she started her conditioning.

They remained silent until the door chimed signalling that a service droid was at the door with their dinner. Hux took the tray from the droid and sent it away, he never allowed anyone into his quarters if he could help it. 

After he set the tray on the table he grabbed Rose gently by the arm and led her almost comatose body to the table and sat her down. Thankfully, she ate a couple bites of everything before she set her fork down and stared at the floor. 

When they finished Hux set a neatly folded pile of nightclothes on the fresher counter and left her to shower. He checked his chrono out of habit when the door swished shut behind her. 

Two hours later his anger got the better of him and he slammed the fresher door open to see her changed and huddled on the floor. Hux ran a hand through his hair to calm down his frustration. Wordlessly, he grabbed her arm and lifted her up and pushed her down on the bed before going to shower himself. 

Hux growled in frustration when he came out of the fresher and saw her on the floor again. “Rose, get off the floor.” He sighed tiredly. 

When she didn’t move, he grabbed her arm a little roughly and stood her up impatiently, it should be time for her to snap out of it. He flung the blanket aside and was about to lay down but saw her still standing in the middle of the room looking fearful.

“Rose, come here.” Hux grumbled, this day went so much more badly than he had hoped. He frowned when he saw her eyes widen and she took a couple steps back. Realization dawned on him making him feel another painful stab at his heart. 

“Rose, I’m not going to do anything to you, not until you're ready.” He rubbed a hand over his face, did she really think he would force her to have sex with him? Shame burned his face at that, she didn’t trust him after everything today. It had been necessary and she would understand. 

“Promise?” She asked brokenly but a little hopeful. Hux masked a sad smile, it was so naive of her to trust in a promise. It was so like Rose. Promises were just empty words meant to garner a false sense of security.

“Yes, I promise.” Hux murmured. He would have to perfect her naivety out of her for her own good. 

Rose hesitantly approached the bed and slipped in the black sheets. She faced away from him and on the very edge as far away from him as possible. When he stretched out on his side, Rose briefly considered sleeping on the sofa but Hux would probably order her back into bed.

His breathing evened out almost as soon as his head hit the pillow and Rose relaxed at that. 

As she mulled over everything that happened, she felt another rush of tears leaking out of her already sore eyes. She couldn’t believe how foolish she had been to think that someone wanted to be with her. Hux didn’t want her, he wanted someone he could control and mould into his own creation. 

The worst part was that Rose couldn’t escape, not while Hux knew where the rebel base was. No, she would have to try to send a message to them to tell them that their position was compromised. And this was all her fault, she had been too trusting of Hux and put her friends in danger..

She sniffed feeling shame for thinking that someone could ever want her for her and not just to use her. 

Rose jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and gently rolled her onto her back to meet Hux’s sharp green gaze. She forgot how light of a sleeper he was. 

His eyes looked almost pained at the sight of her but Rose quickly dismissed the thought, Hux didn’t care about her. 

Rose was going to turn away again but he cupped her cheek and brushed a tear away with his thumb. The touch still felt comforting and exhilarating which brought more tears to her eyes, it was all a lie. It was just another reminder of how completely wrong she had been about him. 

“Rose…” Hux murmured and brushed her hair back away from her face. “Talk to me.” He leaned his forehead down on hers and closed his eyes.

“Hux, I don’t want to be here...you don’t really want me, you just wanted someone you can control and manipulate and I was too naive to think that someone could ever -....just please let me go, Armitage.” Rose sniffed again as Hux sharply pulled away and stared down into her eyes with his hard steely gaze. 

“Ever since I first saw you, Rose, I wanted you. Your fierce fire enchanted me, your eyes held so much love in them and you were so ready to die for what you loved. I hated it because it haunted me, it was a glaring reminder of what I never had all my life.” He searched her eyes. “ When you kissed me, it gave me hope that someday you would belong to me. And now you do.” Rose still didn’t meet his eyes. 

“I told you that I will always win, varmint.” Hux almost snorted with self satisfaction remembering that day on the Supremacy but stopped himself when he looked down at her. 

“I kept the scar so I could have something to remember you by.” He said tenderly. Her eyes snapped up to him at that but her sparkling eyes were clouded in sadness. 

Hux regarded her for a minute before he leaned his forehead down on her and closed his eyes.“Be happy, love.” he commanded sadly. 

Rose didn’t answer. How could she not be sad over being a prisoner. “I’m a prisoner, Hux. I can’t live like this.” Hux lifted his head and looked frustrated at that. 

After a moment Hux dropped his head and sighed into the pillow beside her ear for a moment. He then looked up into her eyes with resolve. “Will you try for a week? And if you’re still feeling this way I will let you go.” 

Rose nodded just as Hux held up a finger. “But I have some conditions.” Rose chewed her lip for a moment before nodding. His eyes caught the motion and he became quickly entranced by it. He dropped his finger to trace her lips as he spoke distractedly. 

“You must follow my orders, and you must still consider a life in the First Order. Consider a life with me....” Hux dipped his head but caught himself before he kissed her remembering that she still had to answer. 

Rose breathed out a shaky breath and nodded, she would try but knew she could never live in the First Order. As Hux looked into her eyes and saw them less clouded with fear and dread, it made his lie well worth it. He would probably never let her leave. 

Hux dipped his head to capture her lips with his own biting her lower lip demanding entrance. She hesitantly opened a little and Hux masked an exasperated huff. He placed a hand on the soft skin of her neck and pushed down her chin with his thumb to open her mouth further. 

He quickly invaded her mouth and drank her in while suppressing a moan of approval, she was far too intoxicating for her own good. 

Hux had to admit that he was quite proud of how everything played itself out. Besides Rose being too stubborn and then falling apart later, it had been perfect. She was here in his bed, in his life and that was all that mattered. 

His tongue danced around hers and dominated her tiny mouth. With a small growl building up in his throat, he lifted himself to an elbow and deepened the kiss as he slipped a knee between her legs. His thigh pressed up against her center making him almost groan when she shuddered underneath him. 

Rose pushed him away, she wasn’t ready. “Move your leg, Hux.” She grit out and felt him stiffen above her. 

He slowly moved it away looking almost sheepish at being caught. He dipped his head to continue the kiss but Rose stopped him with her hands on his chest. 

“I don’t want to be forced to join the Order, Armitage.” Hux’s eyes immediately hardened at that. “Rose.” He warned angrily but Rose planted a small kiss on his lips making him sigh. “You will submit yourself to the First Order.” He said coldly. “But I will give you some time to get used to this life.”

Rose nodded and rolled over feeling dread and panic welling up inside her. She covered her mouth and focused on even long breaths. 

When Hux snaked an arm under her head and around her waist pulling her into him she relaxed a little focusing on his even breathing. She consoled herself with the thought of being able to go home in a week if she wasn’t brainwashed first. 

“You will learn, love.” Hux whispered and kissed the back of her neck.


	10. Chapter Nine: Adjustments and conflict

“Wake up, love.” Rose felt the mattress beside her sink in and a hand resting on her shoulder shaking her gently. With a grumble, she rolled over and ignored the urging but commanding First Order accent. First Order? “Rebel.” It warned in a more impatient voice.

Her eyes snapped open and she blinked up at the figure and saw a pale face and red hair. 

Suddenly the previous day's events came back to her in a flash, she was being held captive on the Steadfast and was going to be forced to join the First Order. 

“Don’t touch me!” She scrambled into a sitting position and glared defiantly up at him. 

Hux stood up straight and clasped his hands behind his back scowling down his nose at her and matching her hostility with impassive coldness. 

“I have laid out a uniform for you in the fresher. Report for breakfast in ten minutes.” 

He sharply turned away from her and disappeared into the kitchen area clutching his datapad stiffly. 

Rose glared at the door he had gone through for a few moments and wondered when he would start her indoctrination and brainwash her. If he started the process before the end of the week, she would probably never be able to leave. 

Even if he did promise to let her go, Rose would probably not even want to leave in her brainwashed, mind addled state. 

With a small sigh she got up and found her uniform in the fresher. She grimaced as she picked it up with her thumb and forefinger while examining it. It looked like her Major’s disguise except this was all black. 

She grumbled as she slowly changed. Why did Hux want her to have this awful life? She would never be happy like this and she would never cooperate with him. He couldn’t just dictate her life like this. She would do everything to challenge him and try to make his life hell.

Rose stared at herself in the mirror, the uniform looked awful on her. It was like a prison to her. Her eyes filled with tears. It was so disheartening to see herself being forced into this caged life. The First Order took everything from her and she was being forced to wear their uniform. At least this was just for one week, Rose hoped and sighed sadly. 

She jumped when the door panel on the outside was slammed and it hissed open to reveal an irritated looking Hux standing at attention.

“Hux!” She squeaked in surprise and quickly buttoned up the rest of her shirt. 

“Time’s up.” He grumbled and quickly turned away leaving the door open. 

Rose cursed him under her breath as she turned back to the mirror and took her sweet time finishing up. Just because she has to live with Hux for a week doesn’t mean she has to follow his stupid militaristic schedule. 

She could practically feel his quiet impatience when she saw him walk by the door five minutes later and make the bed with practiced perfection. 

With one last glance at herself and a small frustrated growl she moved to leave the fresher but was stopped just outside by Hux.

“Fix your uniform.” he ordered as he looked down his nose at her blocking her way standing stiffly at attention in front of her inspecting her appearance. He immediately saw multiple imperfections and regulation errors. 

He scowled down at her when she glared up at him in defiance and crossed her arms but didn’t move to fix any of it. 

“That’s an order, rebel.” Hux snapped coolly, calming his irritation with her. 

He grit his teeth when she halfheartedly adjusted it making it worse and saw the smallest ghost of a smirk spread out on her face at his expense. 

He seethed at that, he could practically see the rebellion and defiance wafting off of her in a large disobedient cloud. 

He resisted the urge to run a frustrated hand through his perfectly coiffed hair at her insolence. If she were an officer on his bridge, he would give her multiple demerits for her appearance and probably throw her in the brig for her blatant disobedient attitude. 

She should be showing the same respect and reverence for the Order as he does. She belonged to a First Order general for kriff’s sake. She had to be as perfect and orderly as she was beautiful. 

He grabbed the sleeve of her shirt and gave it a rough yank to straighten it. He then ran his hands along her shoulders to smooth out the wrinkles trying not to think of the way her tantalizing body felt under his fingertips.

After he finished his work, he clasped his hands behind his back and strolled around her inspecting the rest of her. 

He paused behind her with a small frown, her hair was still loose. Mentally reprimanding himself for forgetting to bring her hair supplies yesterday, he reached out a hand and brushed it through her silky hair ignoring the way she flinched under his touch. 

He briefly considered cutting it off and wondered what she would look like with short hair. 

Hux tapped his chin in consideration, it would be much more manageable and practical if it was shorter. Her hair was gorgeous, it was so straight and sleek. 

No, he couldn't cut it, it was too beautiful for that. He ran his hand through her midnight black hair one last time to memorize the feel of it for the day. 

Letting it go with a disinterested look, he made his way to the table. He would just have to give her some hair ties later that day. 

“Come here, rebel.” he ordered breaking through the silence with his sharp First Order accent and sat down at the table.

His lip curled as she sat down beside him bringing her knees up to her chest and nibbled on a piece of toast like the varmint she was. He would have to train her out of this savage like behavior. 

“Sit properly, Rose.” Hux chided quietly trying to remain patient and not let his irritation with her show. 

She was getting on his nerves far too easily today and Hux knew that he had quite a daunting task to train her out of her barbaric manners. He would have to remain calm and commanding and not stoop down to her petty level. He knew she was just trying to get him angry. 

Rose glared up at him but didn’t move, challenging him. “Don’t try me, insect.” He growled quietly. 

She didn’t move and angrily tore a piece out of her toast. “I'm not a part of your stupid Order, Hux.” She bit out fiercely. 

The creaking leather was deafening in the following silence that followed as Hux reeled from her deliberate disobedience and disregard for his Order.

“Rose, you are First Order and you will do whatever I tell you to do." He warned deathly quietly just about ready to lose his patience with her. She was purposefully trying to fight with him on every single thing he ordered even if he was just wanting the best for her. 

Rose dropped her toast on the plate sending crumbs flying and crossed her arms. “Or what, Hux? You’ll hit me? I bet you would like that.” Rose knew he wouldn’t but she wanted her comments to sting as much as possible. 

A muscle in his jaw tightened and Rose shuffled in her seat showing her back to him still sitting like a savage. 

“Varmint.” Hux warned, trying to keep hold of the last vestiges of his patience. 

“Bite me, asshole!” Rose snapped over her shoulder not bothering to look up at him. 

Hux’s chair creaked loudly back and his cutlery clanked on the table as he stood up in a flash and grabbed her arm roughly. 

He pulled her sharply backwards off her chair and squeezed her arm viciously

“Unlike you, I am not a filthy Haysian savage and do not bite.” He spat as he shoved her to the floor with his last words. 

Rose stared up at him slightly stunned and held her arm up unconsciously in defence.

“Now get. Up.” He hissed as he stood over her with clenched fists at his sides trying to remain calm. He knew he would never hit her but he did consider locking her up in the brig until she learned respect. She tried his patience expertly.

He took a deep calming breath when her stunned look morphed into silent ferocious rage. 

She didn’t listen to him and remained on the floor defiantly. His fists clenched painfully tight. “Get up or I will destroy your precious rebel base!” He roared. 

Rose flinched at that and slowly sat up. When she took too long for his taste, Hux roughly grabbed her arm and shoved her into her chair again. “Now sit properly, rodent.” He spat stiffly and sat down. 

"I hate you." She murmured defeatedly knowing he could make her do anything by threatening her friends.

"That is hardly my concern." He violently shook out his napkin and placed it in his lap with a tense but elegant motion. 

He took a couple breaths to calm himself down, he would not lose his patience with this rebel. She was still a wild and unrefined creature who didn’t understand yet, he would tame her and teach her.

He would give her the life she never had, one where she felt safe and protected. Once she was tamed she would learn to love her new life and even later maybe she would even learn to love him. 

Once he was through with her, she would be his perfect First Order Rose; but for now, he had to exercise more patience with her. 

They ate in a tense silence. Hux’s mood grew more irritable as he observed her behaviors. She slouched over the table and when she wiped her fingers on her First Order uniform he had to look away.

He held in a small frustrated sigh. He knew she was trying to get a rise out of him and he wouldn't give in to her antics. She could make his life as miserable as she wanted but he still wouldn't let her leave. 

She should just respect and submit to the Order already, it will give her the life he wanted her to have. A life with him where he would be with her. 

He scowled when she pushed her mug of tea away from her plate with a disgusted face. The ungrateful varmint didn't even try it!

“Finish your tea, Rose.” He ordered calmly. 

Rose crossed her arms and pinned him with an angry glare. Hux straightened his back making himself way taller than her and glared back at her matching her stubbornness with his own.

“That’s an order, insect.” He said coldly and clenched his fists and heard the leather creaking in protest again. 

They shared a heated staring match locked in a battle of wills. Both not wanting to give up the fight. 

In the end it was Rose who gave up realizing that Hux did have the upper hand. He could always threaten her little rebel friends if she continued to disobey.

Rose glared him down and stiffly picked up her mug, not breaking eye contact. She suppressed the urge to spit it out the disgusting leaf water as she drank, finishing it all in one. 

She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and slammed her empty mug on the table rattling all the other dishes. 

Hux’s lip curled as he looked down at the tea that sloshed out of his own tea cup and back up at the rebel with a sneer. He couldn’t wait for the day that she abandoned her slovenly lifestyle. 

“Happy?” She growled clenching her mug so tightly Hux thought that she might shatter it. 

“Ecstatic.” Hux griped back, matching her aggressive tone. He turned back to his breakfast but clenched his fists tightly around his cutlery when she spoke next. 

"Funny, I didn't think such a ruthless asshole could feel anything other than-" She jumped when his head turned sharply to look at her with a silencing death glare. 

Rose crossed her arms and glared at her plate angrily. Understanding his warning perfectly clearly. 

After a few minutes Hux set his napkin on the table and stood up straightening his uniform. He noted, with a grimace that she flinched at his movements. 

She shouldn’t fear him. He mentally chided himself that he wasn't more gentle and patient with her, she was still an unenlightened savage and would learn in time. 

He would be more calm in the future because she would only start to fear and resent him if he lost control of their fragile relationship. 

“I must go now.” He stood and leaned over to kiss her forehead but was stopped by her roughly shoving his chest and just narrowly missed her clawing at his face. 

Before she had the chance to stand up, Hux pushed her down by the shoulder and pinned her wrists roughly down on the table in a flash. 

"Do not try that again, insect." He warned coldly and met her glare with his own impassive mask. 

She struggled out of his grasp but Hux managed to shift her pinned wrists to only one hand and grab a fistful of her hair with the other pulling her head back. 

He held her in place as he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead contrasting her ferocious thrashing underneath him. 

He closed his eyes and took in the intoxicating scent of sunshine and flowers. All his irritation dissipated by her soft touch. 

"I will be back in a couple hours, Rose." He said in a warmer tone as he pulled away and looked tenderly down at her eyes seeing anger and confusion flare up in them. 

When he let go of her, she stood up and backed away from him shrinking herself away slightly but still defiant. 

Hux stood at attention and observed her for a split second. She reminded him so much of millicent when he first caught and tamed her, the rodent had the same wild and scared look in her eyes trying to remain strong and vicious. 

As he left his quarters, he thought about her. He knew that all this trouble was worth it, she was worth it. He cared for her deeply no matter what she did to him or how much she tried his patience. 

He would eventually tame his feral little varmint and then he would show her love and kindness and take care of her and be her protector.


	11. Chapter Ten: How to tame your rebel

As soon as Hux left, Rose breathed out the breath she even didn’t know she had been holding and huddled back on the chair. Wrapping her arms around herself she remained there for a long time. 

When Hux’s personal service droid came to clean up, Rose helped it pick up all the dishes ignoring its many whines of protest. 

Once the droid was happy with the state of the chambers, it disappeared into a small hatch in the wall leaving Rose alone again 

She rubbed the sore spot on her arm from Hux and looked around. She knew she had to try escape, or at least do something to help her comrades. As soon as Hux was Supreme Leader he would most certainly destroy them. 

Time passed too quickly for her as she searched through Hux’s things and desk hoping to find something she could use to break out of his quarters. She soon gave up on that and then desperately looked for something she could use to at least send a message to Ajan Kloss. 

She growled in frustration when she found nothing useful and flopped down in his desk chair cursing Hux’s overly cautious nature. He had thought of everything to keep her here. 

Rose jumped when she heard the code being punched in at the door and ran into the inner chamber. She huddled on the ground in her usual spot drawing her knees up to her chest. She did it partly so she wouldn't have to interact with Hux but mostly to spite him. The action seemed to annoy him greatly. 

“Get off the floor!” Hux roared the moment he found her on the floor again. 

He hated seeing her like that. She should be happy and not scared huddling in a corner like a frantic little varmint. She wasn’t his prinsor, she should be happy that they were together. 

He roughly grabbed her arm and yanked her up. The insolence and disobedience of this filthy rebel savage! He pushed her away from him and made his way to the bar pouring himself with stiff motions. He immediately took a sip trying to burn the image of her on the floor out of his mind. 

Rose stumbled from his push but caught herself quickly. Glaring at the back of his red head she imagined all the horrible things she would do to him if she ever got the chance.

“Here. Go fix your hair.” He chucked a small box over his shoulder at her while taking another sip. 

Rose swore loudly when the box hit her squarely between her eyes and looked down at it in her hand. 

Hux set his drink down with a loud clank and turned sharply to face her. His piercing eyes blazed with aggravation. 

“You may have grown up a filthy Otomok savage but you are First Order now! Such language is not tolerated here, you would do well to forget your disgusting Haysian legacy.” Hux seethed and stared down at her coldly before turning back to his whiskey. 

Rose clenched her fist at her side bitterly wishing she had her Electro-Shock prod. She would prod him right in the neck on max voltage “I’m not First Order, I’m a prisoner here! And I’m proud to be a Haysian, I will never forget where I come from!” 

She watched the back of his head quickly bob backwards as he quickly downed his drink and angrily turned on her. 

“Oh, you will be First Order once I’m through with you, insect! Now go tie up your hair!” He roared as he pointed to the fresher. Suddenly, he seemed so much taller and intimidating.

Rose snapped at that. “Kriff you!” She threw the box at his face and was disappointed when Hux deftly caught it. 

She backed away when he advanced but he swiftly caught her arm and dragged her towards the fresher. 

“If you cannot learn to tame your foul barbaric tongue, I may just give you the same death that the rest of your Haysian vermin suffered. I still have the chemical weapons I used to test on you lab rats and believe me, rodent, it will not be pleasant." He spat coldly in his thick agitated First Order accent. 

Rose gasped at that and struggled out of his grasp at digging her heels into the floor. Hux’s hand tightened painfully causing her to wince. “Don’t try me, varmint!” he said as he gave her arm a vicious shake to stop her resisting.

Rose seized her chance and dipped her head to bite the hand gripping her arm like a vice. Hux reacted too quickly for her and held her hair back tightly with a painful twist as he marched her to the fresher. “You feral little monster!” He slammed the door open and gave her a violent shove into the fresher. 

Rose stumbled and fell on her face with an extra roll on the floor. She quickly scrambled to sit up and stare up at him doing her best to hide her fear of him. 

Hux catalogued her fear and expertly hid his shame with anger. He haphazardly chucked the small box onto the floor at her feet. 

"Now tie your hair up, filth." He sneered and quickly looked away. He slammed the door panel and it swished shut hiding her petrified face. 

He poured himself another drink controlling his shaking fingers. None of this was going the way he wanted it to go. He wasn’t supposed to hurt her and she wasn’t supposed to fear him like this. He was not Brendol, he wouldn’t hurt her and beat her into submission. He was supposed to tame her with kindness and remain in control and remain her ever caring leader. She was obviously only reacting to his cruel and ruthless behavior to her. 

“No.” He snapped when she stepped out after a few minutes as he pointed to the fresher. Her hair wasn’t up to regulation standards. He took a sip watching her quietly do a 180 and walk back to redo it with her head down.

Hux nervously sat down in the armchair facing the fresher and ran a hand through his hair while crossing his legs. He needed to calm down and regain control of the situation. He was not Brendol and she would not be fearing him. 

“No.” Hux said softer but felt his irritation rising. It wasn’t that hard to style her hair in perfect First Order regulation was it? Was she purposely trying to irritate him again?

If she was, it was certainly working. She just had to fight with him on every single little thing he ordered her to do. 

When she disappeared again, he downed his whiskey trying to distract himself from the distraught look that was on her face. He didn't want to break her like this and he felt increasingly angry with himself for it. 

He wanted to see her eyes sparkling with joy. He wanted to be the reason for that joy in her eyes but he only saw sorrow and fear. This was definitely not how he intended for them to live.

He suppressed a groan and sunk lower in his chair rubbing a gloved hand over his eyes. It took him a moment for him to realize that she was out of the fresher at waiting for his approval. 

He dropped his hand from his face and inspected her with an exasperated sigh. Her hair still wasn't perfect and she was wringing her hands nervously. Her nose was slightly red from when she fell on her face. The image of her twisted at his insides painfully. 

He swiftly but silently stood up and advanced. Her breath instantly became shallow as she took a step back bracing herself for another onslaught from him. 

Hux faltered for a split second at her reaction and grimaced, cataloging that bit of information in his mind. 

He quickly reached out a hand and caught her arm again so she couldn't run away further. She stiffened under his grasp still reeling from his earlier outburst.

She followed behind him as he pulled her wordlessly into the fresher and situated her between the counter and himself facing the mirror. Rose stood motionless as he pulled off his gloves before taking out her hair ties and slipping them around his wrist. 

He picked up the hair brush from the counter and ran it delicately through her hair. He was immediately engulfed in her scent and breathed in deeply. Her silky hair caught the light and almost seemed to sparkle. He could brush her hair for hours and watch it dance before him enchanted by her exotic beauty.

He frowned in concentration as he tied her hair up into two perfect buns at the base of her neck. 

After he finished, he rested his hands on her shoulders and looked at their reflection admiring how his little rebel looked. Hux felt pride surge up inside him at the sight of her, she looked perfect and beautiful, a perfect officer. She was beginning to be his First Order Rose. 

This was a precursor to how she would look every day. He couldn't wait for that day. He would rule the galaxy and she would belong to him and he would be hers. 

A small sniff brought him out of his reveies and his eyes snapped to her face. She quickly ducked her head to hide herself from his prying eyes and ever calculating mind. 

His eyes were drawn lower to the very faint trail of diluted blood in the sink. At the sight of it his throat went dry and he wondered if he had accidentally given her a bloody nose. That would explain why her nose was rubbed red and raw. 

He swiftly spun her around by the shoulders, careful not to startle her and lifted her chin to examine her bruised face. He suppressed a small hiss at the sight of her. 

“Are you hurt, Rose?” He asked softly. 

Her face scrunched up as she moved her head and looked down angrily batting away a stray tear. She would not cry in front of this monster. He threatened to kill her. To murder her the same way he murdered her family and hurt her. He was definitely not safe to be around. No matter what he said, he was still going to brainwash her anyway, his words were meaningless. 

Hux sighed in defeat and rested his hands on her shoulders. He internally raged at himself. This varmint meant so much to him, why did he hurt her like this? He had gotten so frustrated and lost control. She was so precious and he showed her the exact opposite of what she was to him. He needed to convince her that he cared for her deeply.

“Rose..” Hux sighed and closed his eyes trying to gather his thoughts. 

Rose sniffed again quietly and pulled away from him, angrily swatting his hands away from her shoulders. When he didn’t let go, her flailing became more panicked and frantic. 

Hux pulled her into his chest and pinned her arms at her sides squeezing her tightly to calm her down. He silently held her until he felt her muscles relax and her heartbeat slow to a more normal rhythm. 

Still keeping a hold of her shoulders, he pulled away a little and lifted her chin to look up at him. Guilt washed over him twisting his heart painfully when he saw the fear in her eyes. He was supposed to protect her and make her feel safe and he failed miserably at both of those. He didn’t tame her, he broke her just like his father would have done. 

She pulled away from him and covered her face shaking slightly. 

“Rose, hey, shhh it’s ok. I won’t hurt you, love.” Hux murmured as he pulled her back into his chest feeling like it was all a complete lie. 

He sighed dejectedly and leaned his chin on top of her head.

Rose half heartedly struggled and punched his chest but soon gave up after he didn’t move and clung to his uniform like a vice. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as soon as she stopped fighting against him. She was so special to him and he vowed that he would show her every day. 

After a few minutes she pulled away and looked up at him. He cupped her cheek and furrowed his brows at the sight of her puffy and red eyes. The spark was dulled into sadness by all the recent events. He wished dearly that the spark in her eyes would grow into what it used to be before he betrayed her. All he saw in her eyes was just how lost and scared she was. 

Rose looked up at him trying to hide her fear of him. She observed how he studied her face and searched her eyes with an almost hopeful look. 

“C-can I be alone for a while?” She asked weakly and braced for his wrath. He froze and his face immediately drained of color before he looked away. 

“Yes, of course you may, I will be in my office if you need anything.” Hux said quietly and picked his gloves off the counter. “I will be back at the dinner hour.” he walked briskly out of the fresher. 

He burned with shame as he sat down at his desk and held his head in his hands. He had gotten so carried away, he hated that she didn’t love the Order like he did and it irritated him so much. He wanted her to want to be here with him and want to submit to indoctrination so they could share their lives, so they didn’t have to fight like this. 

Her own stubbornness, ferocity, love, and loyalty was what frustrated him the most. He wanted her to love him and be open and loyal to him. He just wanted her to let him into her life. 

The fact that he cared about her so deeply gave her a foot hold to push his buttons. She could so easily turn him into a raving lunatic practically foaming at the mouth. His varmint could just pick him apart piece by piece and slowly make him go insane and lose his control over himself. 

But he lost his control, and that caused a massive rift between them. His own ruthless cruelty pushed her away. He had to fix this.

He didn't know why he cared for her so much, but he knew he wanted her. She was so difficult to understand and he probably would never understand her or what drew him to her. 

She was a chaotic, messy, disorderly anomaly, he shouldn't want the disgusting varmint. But she was his varmint and he did care. She was his and he would do everything to protect her, even if that meant forcing her to join the order. 

In the end, the First Order would win the war and he would execute all Resistance. She had to be First Order for her own protection. It will give her the life she deserves, even if she may hate it at first. 

Hux stood up with a resigned sigh. He would gradually show her how precious she was to him and no matter what she did to him he would remain calm and in control. 

He ordered dinner sent up from the officers mess and waited until he received the tray before entering his inner chambers.

Rose stood up from the floor and wiped her cheeks with her sleeve much to his disgust. 

She kept her head down and moved away from him when he walked by her to get to the kitchen. Hux felt a painful twist inside him. He pushed her too far and didn't mean to break her down like this. 

He took his time setting up their meal taking extra care to set up the cutlery and napkins perfectly for her.

“Rose, come here.” He ordered softly and added a hint of warmth in his voice. 

When she didn’t obey again, He closed his eyes and tilted his head up in a silent plea for patience. Hux vowed to himself that he would remain in control and behave in cold command, she would not drive him to be irritated with her. She didn't understand yet, she was still a wild varmint. He would teach her and tame her. 

His heart twisted again when he turned around and saw Rose on the floor again with her head buried in her arms. She looked so small and helpless, he wanted to go to her and comfort her. 

When he neared her tiny figure though, he could see her shoulders tensing. 

"Rose?" He called gently so he didn't startle her by his presence. 

She didn't move as he stood at attention above her. "Come have dinner." 

He said quietly observing her as she glanced up at him with her wide, doe-like sorrowful eyes. His insides twisted again at the sight of her. She looked so lost and lonely. 

Hux dropped himself to one knee in front of her and frowned when she ducked her head again. 

"I'm not hungry, Hux." She shook her head as she spoke, her voice muffled by her arms. 

Hux clenched his jaw, that wasn't a request to join him for dinner, it was an order. He looked down at her small form. She was so small and scared. She should never be afraid, he would fix this between them. 

"Come sit with me." He commanded as he stood up and straightened to attention, leaving no room for debate. 

She considered it for a moment and then nodded and slowly stood up. Hux reached down a hand for her but she ignored it and moved past him with her head down. 

Despite Rose saying she wasn't hungry, she did end up eating a couple bites. Hux knew she was probably starving considering that they both skipped lunch that day. 

After eating enough to stop her hunger pangs, Rose turned sideways and rested her head on the back of her chair staring at her hands while waiting for Hux to finish. Even though she was terrified about the prospect that sometime soon he would force her indoctrination she still found his presence to be somewhat comforting. His commanding presence felt secure, like nothing bad could happen to her without his say so. 

After dinner, Hux was surprised that Rose stayed in the kitchen and watched him clean up. He was even more surprised when she followed him to the sofa and sat in an armchair across from him and brought her knees up to her chest quietly studying him. 

Hux ignored her presence but was glad of it as he crossed his legs elegantly and pulled out his datapad. He made some adjustments to make in her conditioning schedule. 

When he looked up after an hour he saw that her eyes were shut and her head was resting on her knees. 

Hux turned off his data pad and looked up at the rebel beauty in front of him, she looked so innocent and angelic. Just like Millicent. A faint genuine smile spread across his lips at the comparison. 

Even through all that she has been through, she still managed to remain innocent and pure, she had a childlike naivety to her. She trusted so quickly and still believed in foolish things like seeing the good in people. Those were rare qualities to have in a galaxy torn apart by so much disorder, chaos and war. 

Hux knew that it wouldn't last, sooner or later she would give up her silly beliefs and realize exactly how cruel the galaxy could be. He could already see how so much suffering was slowly tearing her down. He saw cracks in her carefully crafted mask; underneath it all he knew that there was a small, scared, lonely little Haysian girl who lost all her family and friends to a bloody war. 

Hux knew what war did to people like her and it wasn't pretty. People like her were too good to be trapped in a bloody war, she deserved a better life. The one she never had where she could protect her filthy little fathiers and explore the galaxy. 

But she was his and he would protect her from the cruelties the galaxy held and give her that life. He was used to this, it was all he had ever known. Brendol had trained him for this life, he had turned him into the cold ruthless monster that he was. All remains of his humanity was gone. There was nothing left inside him except ambition, greed, desire for ultimate power and order but most importantly, Rose. 

He cared for her so deeply he couldn't even put a name to the feeling, it was one he had never experienced before. No one had ever shown him this type of affection that he felt, it was both frightening and exhilarating. Unbeknownst to this varmint, she held the power to crush him, to grind his ugly shrivelled heart he had always thought dead into dust or give him the happiness and love that had been denied him all his life. She could make his life perfect.

But he wouldn't have it any other way. He was hers and she belonged to him. That was just how it was and how it was and always will be. 

With a sigh he stowed away his data pad and set out a fresh set of pajamas in the fresher for her before picking one of her hands up and squeezing it gently. 

"Rose, wake up." He urged in a soft tone. 

Her head snapped up and she recoiled slightly at the sight of him. 

"Go shower, I laid out clothes for you. You have twenty minutes." He said impassively while masking a grimace at her disdain for him. 

Rose nodded and stood up too tired to argue anymore tonight. She ignored his time limit and took her time though.

She was just putting her shirt on when she noticed the large purple bruise on her arm and stopped to examine it further. It was the perfect shape of Hux’s hand. She mentally swore at him for always grabbing her arm in the same spot. She knew part of it was her fault, she was trying to make him angry but was just surprised at how easily it worked. 

The door swished open abruptly to reveal Hux looking at the floor. 

“Hux!” She yelped and covered her chest with her bundled up shirt. 

“Time’s up.” He muttered without looking at her. 

He was about to walk away but after his eyes quickly flashed over her form, something caught his eye giving him pause. She recoiled when he set his eyes on her half naked body with his piercing green gaze. 

“Don’t look, freak!” She shrieked terrified that anyone could be seeing her like this.

Rose hated anybody seeing her like this even if it was just her bare stomach and arms. She wasn’t comfortable in her own skin and no one should see her ugly unshapely body. Rose couldn’t even count on her fingers the many flaws she thought she saw in the mirror every day. It was far too embarrassing for anyone to see her like this, especially Hux. 

Hux slowly advanced inside not seeming to notice or care about her internal panicking. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment and shame, she could feel her breath getting caught in her throat. She hurriedly backed away and whimpered in fright when her back hit the wall.

He stopped in front of her chest level to her eyes. She fearfully looked up at him feeling tears prickle at the corners of her eyes, she wasn’t ready. Hux promised that he would wait till she was ready, her hands shook in her fright. 

Tears did fall when he reached out a hand to brush down her shoulder. When he reached her bruise and placed his hand over her arm that was a perfect match to the mark. He looked up when she flinched from the pressure. 

“Hux, please don’t..” She whimpered in fear unsure of what he was going to do with her. 

Hux stared down at her masking his shock. She was shaking like a leaf terrified of him. His throat went dry at the sight of her, bruised, weak, helpless and so much smaller that himself. 

She reminded him far too much of his childhood, back when he was too small and weak to defend himself against his father’s daily onslaughts. He remembered the overwhelming desperation for anyone to notice or say something. He had internally begged for someone to help him for someone to save him. In the end, no one came for him, Hux saved himself and got his revenge in the end. The look in her eyes mirrored how he felt all those years ago. 

He drew his hand away from her. He never felt like his father more than he had in that moment, he had hurt her again. He had beaten her down, broken her will. This wasn’t supposed to happen, he was her protector. She was his precious varmint. 

“Rose..I..-” “Hux, please just go.” Rose choked out interrupting his scattered thoughts. She looked away, blinked hard against the tears.

Hating that she was crying in front of him again, Hux straightened to attention and left to give her her much desired privacy. 

When she came out of the fresher, she saw him sitting on the sofa legs crossed with a drink in his hand. The state of his messed up hair was the only clue to his inner turmoil.

He looked up at her and patted the sofa beside him in a silent order. Rose chewed her lip considering what to do, he didn’t look frustrated he almost looked a little lost. 

She picked up the spare blanket on the sofa that Hux had left neatly folded for her and wrapped it around her shoulders before sitting on the sofa on the opposite end as far away from him as she could be. She pulled her knees up and wrapped the blanket around herself as extra protection from him. 

They sat in companionable silence for a while until Hux sighed, starting the conversation that he hoped would ease her fear and fix the rift he caused between them.

“Rose, I care for you very much-even though I may not show it.” He paused and looked at her dejectedly. “And I want you to tell me if I ever hurt you again, understood?” His eyes looked so soft and perhaps a little remorseful.

She chewed her lip and nodded slowly unsure if she should believe him.

At that, a weight seemed to roll off his shoulders and he breathed out a huge sigh of relief. 

He stretched out a hand palm up on the cushion between them. Rose glanced down at it before looking up at his face not taking his hand. She saw hurt, shame and anger briefly flashed across his face before he masked into impassiveness. His jaw clenched as he looked away with a small frown.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Rose studied him, she wanted to trust him, to believe that he could make her world make sense and make her feel safe but didn’t think she could. She would always be afraid of him. 

He said he could and would kill her like he murdered her family if she didn’t behave. 

With a small sigh, she moved to stand up but was stopped by his voice. “Stay.” She looked up at him fearfully at the sound of his sharp, cold and commanding voice and sat back down. 

They sat in silence for longer. She waited for him to say or do something feeling all her senses on high alert. 

Hux halfheartedly set his drink on the coffee table and looked up at her. “Rebel, I’m not going to hurt you anymore. Don’t fear me. I will protect you and give you a proper life. That's why I took you away, I couldn’t have done that without you coming with me and joining the First Order. You need to be under our protection when we win the war."

Rose frowned, “I don’t want to be here.” Hux shrugged apathetically at that, he didn’t much care what she wanted when her safety was concerned. 

“You’re mine, darling. I’m going to take care of what belongs to me.” He said as he straightened his gloves and folded them in his lap. She wouldn't be so foolish with her life anymore, he would see to that. 

Rose frowned, getting more angry the more she let his words sink in."But you can’t do that Hux! I’m not your property-you can’t just steal me away like this!” She stood up and paced, her nerves were so fried at this point, anticipating her indoctrination 

Hux watched her pace angrily, she reminded him of a caged wild animal. “I just did it, love.” He said calmly. 

Rose snapped and snatched the glass off the table and broke the top off on the table to make a sharp edge and pointed it at him. “Let me go Hux!” 

Hux relaxed his shoulders and breathed out a calming breath. He looked up at her without moving, a sign of non aggression. 

“No.” She could do whatever she wanted to him. Hux surrendered himself to her feral rage. 

In a flash she put the blade up to his neck, her eyes flashed dangerously. “I can’t live like this, Hux. You aren’t protecting me.” Hux looked sadly up at her, there weren’t many options. The First Order will win the war and she will die for real if she remains Resistance. 

“You will learn, love.” He said calmly almost lovingly, unfazed by how close he was to getting his throat cut. He would never lose his control with her again, she was too precious. He would never hurt her or break her beautiful ferocious will again. 

Rose pressed the glass into his neck further and watched as a small drop of blood pooled at his neck. She tried to muster up the courage to kill him, to drag the glass across his pale neck. She pressed it in further and saw his pulse dangerously close to her blade. 

“My life is yours, Rose.” Hux whispered, calmly. 

She looked up into his piercing green gaze and saw something burning inside them that was completely foreign to them. His eyes held tenderness, caring and something much stronger buried deeper inside them. Rose knew his words were genuine, he would surrender his life for her in that moment. 

Her hardened eyes softened, she couldn’t do this, she couldn’t take his life like this. Deep down, she still cared about him even though she tried to hide it and bury it deep down inside her. 

She dropped the glass shard to the floor and dropped to her knees covering her face when she felt a new onslaught of tears. She couldn’t feel anything for him, he was a monster. He ruthlessly murdered her whole family and all her loved ones from the Resistance, he forced her to choose between them and joining the very Order that she hated with every fibre of her body. 

“I don’t want to be indoctrinated and forget who I am.” She whimpered through her muffled hands. 

Rose didn’t want to forget what made her into the person she was, what her parents sacrificed for her on Hays Minor, all the engineers from the Raddus that died, what Paige died for. It would all be so meaningless if she joined the very thing they all died to destroy. 

All the pain and suffering was too much, it followed her like a cloud suffocating her. She had to believe there was something else beyond it all, she couldn’t lose herself and the memories that gave her hope. 

There was too much pain in the galaxy, too much war and cruelty. Rose’s breath hitched, feeling the walls closing in on herself. Everything was happening too quickly, she didn’t have time to mourn for all her loved ones, she just bottled everything up and hid herself behind a brave mask. But ever since Paige died, she had been slowly falling apart and had no one to talk to, no one would even understand if she tried. Her world was just crumbling around her. 

Her breath hitched again and she stifled it with her hands. She felt too lonely and lost, there was too much chaos in her life.

“Rose, come here.” Hux commanded coldly with an almost tired sigh. His heart broke at the sight of her falling apart right at his feet. 

She looked up at him. Hux’s face remained impassive but internally he was reeling at the sight of her warm beautiful eyes marred with a storm of emotions. She was being torn apart by desperation, loneliness, sadness, and horror at the cruelties the galaxy had shown her. Hux wanted to bear all that pain with her, she needed to understand that she wasn’t alone anymore. He was there for her, he would make her world better. He would bring order to the chaos that was tearing her apart. 

“Come sit on my knee.” His voice remained cold and impassive. 

He didn’t move to help her stand up and observed her every action with cold scrutiny. Rose had to come to him, to touch him first. She needed to understand that she needed him, that he would make sense of her world. He was used to this life, he knew how selfish and ruthless people really were inside. She was too naive to realize that and the truth would cut her too deeply. She needed him in her life as much as he needed her. 

She sniffed and slowly crawled into his lap wrapping her blanket tighter around herself as if vainly trying to keep herself from falling apart. 

As soon as she was in his lap, he snaked his arms around her and heard her breathe out a shaky breath relaxing at his touch. 

“I’m here, Rose.” Hux murmured into her ear and kissed her temple, letting her know that he would always be with her and would take care of her. 

“I’m so scared.” She whimpered, not caring how vulnerable she was being with the enemy. 

Hux kissed her temple at that and brushed his gloved fingers through her hair. She would never feel like this again, he vowed to himself. “Don't be.” 

Rose pulled away and looked questioningly up at him with her sorrowful doe eyes. Hux brushed a lock of her silky black hair behind her ear and lifted her chin to keep their gaze. 

“I’m here, darling. You belong to me and I will always take care of you and never leave you. You never have to be afraid again. You’re not alone, I understand.” He whispered into her ear and felt her shudder in his lap. His words unlocked the dam of emotions she had been trying to bottle up and hide away for so long.

Hux quickly pulled her into his chest when her tears started falling freely. 

She clung to his uniform as she sobbed into his shirt. He brushed and petted her midnight black hair and stared off into space lost in his own thoughts. 

He vowed to protect her from all the harshness of the galaxy, from all the horrible men like Snoke, Brendol, and Ren. He knew he was as bad or worse than any of those men but he would never hurt her again. He would save her, she was too pure and innocent for this world. 

Her breath hitched again and it brought him out of his thoughts. “I can’t join the Order, Hux.” She sniffled.

Hux sighed and closed his eyes for a moment leaning his head on hers. She will join. He would not back down on that. He considered what to say to her to ease her worries, his indoctrination was not as bad as she thought it would be. And it was only temporary, after her training, she would regain all her memories if maybe perhaps a little altered. 

Hux dug through the blanket and pulled out one of her hands and admired her pretty olive skin and kissed her palm. “You will. But I will wait until you tell me you are ready to join.” 

Rose watched him kiss her palm before he placed it against his cheek stroking his thumb over the back of it. She wanted to argue and tell him that it would never happen, but the soft devoted look in his eyes told her to remain silent and save it for later. 

“What if I will never be ready to join, Hux?” She mumbled tiredly. 

Hux didn’t answer and chose to kiss the inside of her wrist instead. “Call me Armitage.” He murmured and kissed her forehead, taking in her intoxicating scent. 

Rose didn’t have the energy or the will to argue further and she rested her head on his shoulder with a small sigh and a stifled yawn. 

“Do you want to go to sleep, darling?” He asked and brushed a hand through her soft hair. 

“Can you hold me a little longer?” She asked and closed her eyes. 

“Oh course I can, love.” Hux smiled into her hair.

He held her for a few minutes, brushing her hair and engulfing himself in the scent of sunshine and flowers. She was so innocent and irresistible, Hux could hardly believe someone so pure belonged to him. He held her tiny hand in one of his own and examined her soft olive skin. He longed to cover all of her bronze body with soft chaste kisses, he wanted to drink all of her in and taste her. 

“You’re so beautiful.” He whispered, completely distracted by her beauty. 

Rose opened her eyes and lifted her head to look up at him but her eyes were caught first by the red cut on his neck. She lifted her hand tentatively to his neck and touched the spot just under the cut furrowing her brows. 

Hux wrapped his hand around her tiny fingers and brought it to his lips. 

“I’m sorry.” She murmured sadly, feeling pained for the injury she had caused him. 

“It is already forgotten, my darling.” Hux cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead. 

Rose shuddered in his lap and chewed her lip with a small frown. This was a new more vulnerable side of him, could she trust this new Hux? She met his gaze and searched his green orbs for any signs of deceit. His pupils suddenly dilated as he took in her small form in his lap. 

“We belong to each other, love. You are my little rebel.” He said with hooded eyes as he brushed his thumb over her lower lip resisting the urge to kiss her full lips. 

“And you’re my general?” She asked lips brushing against his thumb as she spoke,

Hux smiled genuinely at that. Her innocent pet name for him was the most adorably thing he ever heard. “Yes, I am yours, darling.” His eyes glimmered in delight and pride knowing he had tamed his little rebel varmint.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Work

The next three days passed in a strange, tense and awkward atmosphere but Hux had soon settled them into a comfortable routine.

he woke up five minutes before his chrono and got dressed before setting out Rose’s uniform in the fresher and waking her up. 

She rolled over when he tried to wake her up and fell back asleep.

Hux smiled down at her sleeping form, sitting down on the bed he gently shook her limp shoulder. “Good morning, varmint.” 

Rose rolled over and scrunched up her face against the bright light making his smile widen further at the sight of her adorable bleary eyed pout. Hux stroked the back of his hand over her cheek feeling his heart swell at the sight of her. 

“I laid out your uniform for you.” Hux mentioned almost humming at the feel of her soft skin under his hand. 

Rose moved her head to the side with a frown away from his fingers. Hux caught himself and stood up clasping his hands behind his back feeling a little hurt and pained at her aversion for him. She still kept her distance from him being wary and cautious of him. 

She appeared to enjoy his touch but didn’t trust him yet. Hux never lost his patience with her, even when she tested him dearly sometimes. 

Whenever her disobedience would aggravate him to the point of losing his temper, he would tilt his head back and beg the stars for another iota of patience and breath out with a mental count to five before he responded to her defiance with calm and cold tranquility. 

He watched as she tiredly padded to the fresher and disappeared behind the hissing pneumatic door before meticulously making the bed and straightening every wrinkle. 

When she came out, Hux gave her an approving nod at her appearance coming to stand at attention in front of her. It wasn’t perfect but it was passable. 

Rose chewed her lip and wrung her hands nervously as she waited for his reaction and resisted the urge to jump when he clasped both her hands in one of his and led them to the table. 

He stopped and turned to face her, lifting her chin up and gazing into her soulful eyes sensing her fear and trepidation of him. 

“You belong to me, rebel.” He cupped her round cheek in one of his larger palms, running his thumb across it. “I care for you very much, you do not need to fear me, ever, do you understand?” 

Rose chewed her lip and nodded after a moment of thinking about it relaxing her shoulders slightly and looking away. The corners of his mouth quirked up in a ghost of an approving smile. 

“Excellent, now kiss me, darling.” He added, a hint of smugness in his voice. 

Rose thought for a moment while biting her lip before looking up at him and raising herself to the tips of her toes and planting a small kiss on his lips. Hux tilted his head down to meet her and smiled slightly against her lips as he tasted her delicious skin. Snaking his arms around her, he pulled her into a small hug feeling his body on fire where she made contact. 

They began breakfast in silence, Hux discreetly scrutinized her through his lashes, “Talk to me, love.” He said over his cup of tea. 

She met his piercing gaze a little surprised at how accurate his perception was, she had been lost in thought about her dull boring days here. “I’m just bored here, Armitage.” She brought a knee up and chewed on a piece of fruit. 

Hux set his cup down and observed her, hiding his distaste at her posture but chose not to comment on it. He had decided to wait to mould her into his image of his Rose until she started her conditioning. He would work proper mannerisms into her indoctrination schedule later. He studied her and considered her words, “You must submit to the First Order, Rose. Once you join, you will receive clearance to explore most of the Steadfast and will never get bored.” 

His eyes flashed down to her lips as she unconsciously pouted at his words. “No thanks, I’m good.” She sighed and resumed her breakfast. “I won’t be here long.” 

She didn’t notice Hux's grimace at her words and hid his reaction behind his datapad. They didn’t have that discussion yet and he didn’t really plan on allowing her to leave even if she didn’t like it here, he had just hoped she would somehow agree to join him. But whenever he tried to broach the subject, she would stiffen and refuse to talk about it. Hux knew that he didn’t have long to tell her, but that conversation was bound to end badly and he didn’t want to have to hurt her or break her defiant will. 

His thoughts were interrupted by her yawn, “Why do I have to wake up so damn early, Hux?” She took a large gulp of her caf to hopefully not fall asleep on the table. 

She grinned down at her mug with twinkling eyes. Hux had brought her caf instead of tea which she was extremely grateful for even though it was black. Rose normally took lots of cream and sugar, but somehow, she didn’t think Hux would allow that level of sugar intake. 

“It’s vital to productivity to follow an orderly and disciplined schedule.” Hux replied not looking up from reading his reports. 

Rose observed him with a faint smile, he looked so calm and casual sitting crossed legged elegantly leaning back in his chair, looking for all the world, like an ordinary officer and not the dangerous mass murderer and war criminal he really was. She smiled at the fragile tranquility they shared together ever since she almost slit his throat, Hux had expressed an extraordinary amount of tolerance with her and she had felt herself slowly growing comfortable and trusting him again.. 

She couldn’t help starting to enjoy his company again, his calm self assurance made her feel safe and protected. 

“Just admit you want to spend time with me before your shift starts.” She snarked with a wide grin. “You miss me.” She expected him to reply with a sarcastic barb about her insolent attitude. 

When he didn’t answer Rose looked up and saw him still absorbed by his datapad but completely red faced. They finished breakfast in comfortable silence.

“I must report to the bridge.” Hux muttered as he picked up his napkin from his lap and set it on the table before standing up and leaning over her. 

She closed her eyes with a soft smile playing across her lips as he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Have fun.” She murmured out of habit and opened her eyes to look at him when he pulled away with his brows furrowed in confusion. His features slowly morphed into a faint disbelieving smile as he turned away with a small shake of his head. 

Rose chewed her lip as she watched him march out of his quarters with his hands clasped behind his back. Did Hux ever have fun or even enjoy his job or this life? He could be much happier in a different life, a life with her, they could both start new lives and live out their days away from the war...

When the cleaning droid came, Rose helped it clean up as per her usual, this time it didn’t protest nearly as much as usual having gotten used to her kindness. 

She stared blankly out the window at the stars twinkling in the distance feeling the boredom slowly set in. 

It was the sound of the door to Hux’s office opening that woke her up from her nap on the sofa. She tentatively peeked through the open doorway to see who had come in and found Hux just sitting down at his desk. Quietly creeping further into the room, Rose wrapped her hands around her arms and inspected his office for what felt like the hundredth time. 

It was sparsely decorated, with black and gray furniture. Completely utilitarian and boring. 

His desk was completely empty except for his datapad and a datapad stylus. She watched him as he opened his pad and started typing, his fingers flew furiously over the keyboard brows knit together in concentration. 

He looked domineering, his red hair striking against the blacks and grays of the room. 

The desk that was placed in the centre of the room, and the man behind it, told with no doubt, that he was the mastermind behind the First Order war machine, the mastermind who orchestrated the conscription of children, ripping resources from planets, and destroying entire systems and billions of lives. 

His eyes, Rose frowned in thought, his eyes were the most intimidating, they were so driven, so ambitious, so greedy and selfish, remorselessly demanding the life he had been robbed of as a child. He worked tirelessly for power, order and perfection, even demanding her love and commitment to him. He greedily desired the life he thought was destined for him, the life as Supreme Leader bringing order to the galaxy with her by his side belonging to him and only him. 

Hux’s eyes flashed up to her as she absentmindedly trailed her fingers along the edge of his desk as she walked around. He found the subtle action distracting. 

“Is there something you need, Rose?” Hux asked, fingers slowing slightly. 

“No.” She replied as she picked up his stylus and examined it leaning her back against the edge of his desk. “I’m just bored.” She pressed the on and off button on it with a click. She continued clicking away on and off absentmindedly not noticing Hux’s building frustration at the sound. 

“Then join me in the First Order.” Hux scowled and snatched the stylus out of her grasp and set it back in its place returning to his work.

With a small distracted smile, Rose trailed her fingers further along the desk and ghosted her hand up his arm to his shoulder circling the First Order emblem on his upper arm. Hux stiffened his muscles and clenched his fists, the action completely unnoticed underneath her fingertips. 

She folded her arms over the back of his chair huffing out a large bored sigh and watched the way his hair danced around her breath. She lazily stared at his perfectly coiffed red hair and half heartedly wondered how long he would be busy for, she was unbelievably bored. 

She breathed out again and watched with interest as his hair danced again with a faint smile. Hux’s fingers slowed their fast typing after making multiple errors because of the distracting varmint behind him, which went unnoticed by Rose again. 

Rose retracted her hand when she saw the muscle in his jaw clench and studied him. Hux looked so graceful and proper, the ideal image of what the First Order regulation was, his hair was perfect, his uniform was exemplary. Hux was the perfect, quintessential officer, the perfect product of empire lineage, ruthless, ambitious, backstabbing, cold and calculating. 

She reached out a hand to him again and caught the scent of his hair, breathing in heavily, pine wood and rain, as she ran her hand along his shoulder. Rose narrowed her eyes at his hair, maybe his hair was a little too perfect...

Hux stiffened when he felt her small hand raking through his hair messing up his perfect parted style.

“Rose!” He snapped and caught her wrist glowering at her. She was barely taller than him even when he was sitting down. 

“Sorry.” She murmured with a small mischievous grin. 

“I’m working, insect.” Hux narrowed his eyes before letting her go and turning back to his work.

Hux had a busy work schedule, not only did Ren set out on a foolhardy mission to follow up on a lead involving some force dyad voodoo magic and unloaded all his responsibilities on him, but he had to finish levying taxes in the Tanaab system before - Hux grit his teeth when he felt Rose sit down on the arm rest beside him.

Hux stilled his typing trying not to think about how her firm thigh and ass was touching his arm. - The Perlemian trade route stopped by Tanaab so that would make their GDP higher and - Hux grit his teeth when she shifted against him. 

His mind went blank when, after a few minutes, he felt her tiny hand in his hair again making him suppress a small groan at the erotic touch. He roughly elbowed her off the armrest and crossed his legs to hide his body’s overly eager reaction to her unwittingly sensual touch.

\- Tanaabs GDP would be raised about %34 so that meant that he could acquisition about - “Rose! Do I need to lock you up in the brig?” He barked as he angrily slammed his datapad closed on his desk when she sidled up next to him leaning her butt against the desk edge facing him. 

Unperturbed by the loud noise, Rose impishelshly picked up his arm hastily slipping between Hux and his desk before innocently setting it back down in its place. 

Scowling up at her Hux saw the mischievous sparkle in her eyes, “I’m busy, creature.” He growled and moved his hands to grip the armrests tightly, her close proximity was too tantalizing for him. The rebel's exotic beauty taunted him, it was hard to keep her out of his mind as it was without her so close to him. Her smooth skin, he wanted to touch every part of her olive bronze body to shower her with hot wet kisses, he wanted to mark her as his own. 

“But I’m bored.” She whined. 

Hux leaned back in his seat and folded his hands in his lap masking his burning desire for her. “Oh really?” He asked, resisting an eye roll, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

Rose pouted and stepped closer to him, thighs brushing his crossed legs and stared at him bleakly almost out of bored desperation. She watched as he huffed out in exasperation and couldn’t help noticing the way his eyes glimmered at her mysteriously. Her breath caught in her throat when he held out his hand, palm up to her his face impassively unreadable. 

She chewed her lip and hesitantly placed her hand in his much larger gloved one. 

As soon as her hand rested in his, he tightened his grip around hers and spun her around pulling her into his lap, smirking darkly when the action produced a small surprised yelp from his little rebel varmint. 

He didn’t dare lean back lest she figure out exactly how purely sultry and tempting he found his little rebel to be. “Do you need someone to entertain you, love?” he teased and smirked when she wriggled a little to get out of his grasp before looking up at him with her enchanting warm gaze. 

“Maybe.” She sighed relaxing into his chest. Heat rushed down to her sex when she both felt and heard the low chuckle in his chest and squirmed uncomfortable with how alluring it was. 

Hux almost grunted at the movement and held her tightly in place keeping her from grinding against him further all too aware of how her voluptuous buttocks felt against his thighs. 

An image flashed across his mind, his little varmint on her hands and knees as he slides his hot throbbing member into her tight little pussy, ass cheeks moving against every thrust he makes into her wetness. He would cum all over those curvy cheeks drenching her with his warm sticky seed and-

He suppressed a groan when she wriggled against him again to get comfortable. 

“Off, insect, I have work to do.” He growled out in a husky voice. 

She didn’t move “I’m good here, thanks.” 

Rose giggled and kissed the muscle in his jaw that clenched automatically. “I promise I won’t bug you if you let me stay.” She added when she heard him grumble something about throwing her in the brig with interrogator droids. 

Hux glared at the top of her head, she better not grind against him otherwise he might just have to bend her over his desk and make his fantasies a reality. 

He darkly wondered what she would taste like, how she would moan against him when he inserted his fingers into her and rubbed her pearl both hearing and feeling how her wetness would slick around his fingers, he would taste and drink in every bit of her tasty little-

Hux cleared his throat “Very well.” He sniffed haughtily “But if you disturb me in the slightest, I will muzzle you and put you in cuffs.” He ignored Rose’s small intake of breath at his words. 

He hoped she didn’t think he was serious, unless she wanted to, of course…

Hux shook his head, quickly banishing the thought and began to work, relentlessly typing away with a frown not letting himself be distracted by the now stilled but utterly irresistible little rebel in his lap.

True to her promise, Rose didn’t bother him or even move while he typed away furiously. 

She closed her eyes and absorbed everything about their moment together, his scent, the way his firm chest felt against her cheek and his heartbeat in her ears. She felt bittersweet over them, in just a few short days, she would leave and probably never see him again. Rose had to admit to herself that she would miss him terribly. 

She doubted she would ever find someone quite like him and she wasn’t sure if she even wanted anyone else but Hux. 

It would probably hurt her deeply to be out of his life, she would probably even be a little lost without his rigid routine and calm assurance, but even though her heart panged painfully in her chest, longing to be by his side, she just couldn’t submit to the Order. 

It was impossible for her to join, she would just die, she wouldn’t be herself, everything about her would be gone. She would be in a cage, even though Hux vowed to give her a life, to show her the galaxy, to give her everything she could dream of when he ruled as Supreme Leader, she wouldn’t be free. 

Rose needed freedom, she needed to feel wild and unrestrained, to feel the rush of fighting for what she loved. She wanted to be able to risk her life for what she believed in. She could not live in his gilded cage built for her own protection, that wasn’t even living to her. 

Maybe someday Hux would see that he didn’t need the Order, that it was evil. Hux could do great things for the galaxy, his pure relentless drive could accomplish actual genuine order and peace. He could save people and at least make up for some of his hideous war crimes. 

She sat up and looked up when Hux leaned back and pulled at her hair ties staring into her eyes with a far off but intensely affectionate look in his eyes. 

“Are you done yet?” She asked as he slipped the hair ties around his wrist and proceeded to pet her hair. 

Rose closed her eyes with a small shiver and braced her palms against his chest. 

Hux ignored her, being far more interested in her ravishing beauty to bother answering her unnecessary questions. 

He weaved his hand through her hair and the back of her head and pulled her into his chest kissing her temple. A slight hum of contentment escaped her lips and she tilted her head as he trailed kisses down her neck, drinking in her intoxicating scent. Along with the scent of sunshine and flowers, there was something else, something so indescribable yet so Rose at the same time. It was so familiar, it was his precious Rose. 

He bit and sucked at her neck smirking against her skin when she moaned and squirmed slightly. 

He bit down a little harder, hard enough to leave a mark but not to hurt her, making her gasp and grab a fistful of his uniform twisting her neck to expose more supple skin for him to devour. Hux burned with desire for her, to taste every bit of her showering her kiss love and kisses. 

Her movement however, revealed a glinting chain around her neck catching Hux off guard for a split second before he realized that it was her moronic Otomok snowgrape leaf medallion. 

His mind rushed, calculating at lightspeed. He didn’t authorize her to wear jewelry and more importantly, it was a symbol of her past life, of her defiance against him. 

The Otomok medallions were important to Haysians, he had taken enough of them from around his conscripted children's necks to gather that little detail. He remembered the broken look on their faces as he took them and relished in giving the order to have them smelted in front of them. Seeing the vicious biting fury that later accompanied the children reminded him of his varmint. 

She would probably hate it if he destroyed it too, but she was First Order now. She didn’t need the reminder of her old life, her life without him in it, it would only strengthen her resolve to resist joining him. In order for Hux to rebuild her into his perfect First Order Rose, he would have to tear her down delicately and start fresh. He would have to destroy it, she would get over it, eventually. She was his now, she didn’t need it. 

Hux gripped her arm gently and slowly slid it up to her shoulder as he bit down suckling her skin further, feeling her shudder and shift in his lap to straddle him on her knees. Hux could feel the heat radiating from her centre. His mind would have turned to jelly if he didn’t have his own objective. 

In one swift motion, he hooked a finger under her collar under the chain and pulled it up over her head, clutching it tightly and out of her reach when she made a swipe for it. 

“Hux! Give it back!” Rose yelled and fiercely made to sit up and climb him to take it back. 

Her struggling was all in vain as Hux’s long arm held it far out of her reach. He held his other hand gently around her throat to keep her from climbing all over him or viciously scratching at his face in her almost feral anger. 

He cocked his head with a hint of amusement at her and observed her with clinical interest as she choked and gasped against his hand tenderly wrapped around her throat. In her struggle, she was pushing too hard against his hand and blocking her own air passage but her fighting still didn’t cease and she gasped for air. 

Hux frowned, he didn’t think she would fight for it this much, this self destructively. Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to destroy it just yet. 

When she starts her conditioning, she won’t care for her past life anymore anyway. She would probably willingly give it to him then, he would look forward to the day she would press it into his hands, asking him to take it. She would discard her old life in favor of a new life with him, he would cherish that memory. He would give her a new token of their new life together. 

Hux dropped the medallion but held the chain with his thumb and forefinger, observing her reaction to it. By the way her eyes were transfixed by the swinging Haysian smelt while she was fighting desperately against his hand around her neck told him that he shouldn’t destroy it just yet. She was still too wild, too savage and unrefined. 

“Don’t touch it!” She half choked and half screamed.

Hux paused to examine it before quickly looping it around her neck feeling her calm slightly. Her nostrils still flared and her eyes flashed in rage but she didn’t try to attack him which was a good sign. 

She moved to get off of him and storm away but as soon as she stood up she was stopped by his long leather gloved fingers wrapping around her hand.

“Rose.” He said in a strong commanding voice when she tried tugging her hand out of his grasp still not turning to face him. 

Her head snapped to him, eyes flashing and jaw clenched when he pulled her gently. 

Hux brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. “I was merely curious, love.” bringing her hand to his mouth he kissed her knuckles. “I had simply forgotten that you wear an Otomok charm.” Hux lied and kissed her knuckles again watching her visibly relax into cautious wariness of him. 

“Don’t ever touch it again.” She seethed after a moment, glaring at him with a fire he had never seen in her eyes before, except perhaps when she was on her knees before him on the Supremacy. 

Hux allowed a faint innocent smile to cross his features feeling immensely self satisfied. Her outburst had been very educational, if she ultimately refused to submit, her ridiculous attachment to a simple primitive charm could be used as a last resort for leverage to make her make the right choices for her life.

“Of course, my little rebel, whatever you wish.” He twisted her hand gently and kissed the heel of her palm. 

She calmed down further at his words, feeling a little bad for overreacting so badly. Her Otomok charm was something that she didn’t think she would ever allow him to be a part of. It was the only reminder of her life before this hellish war started, a life that he utterly destroyed. She was reminded of the time on the Supremacy when he first held her charm, he gloated over the memory of murdering her people and planet. She could never let him touch it again. 

Rose grimaced and looked away blinking hard against the tears, feeling her walls crumbling at the thought of so much cruelty in the galaxy. She cared for Hux deeply even though he caused most of her suffering, she knew that Hux knew no better, he was born into this, his compassion was beaten out of him, he was just a product of this cruel galaxy. 

The feel of Hux’s soft pink lips on her palm again brought her out of her despairing thoughts. He was staring at her, studying her, cataloging every emotion that crossed her face with great interest.

Rose hesitantly took a step forward leaning over the armrest and placed a soft shy kiss on his forehead by way of apologizing for her irrational outburst. 

She turned to leave him again to have some space to think but was stopped again by his voice. “Rose,” 

Rose paused and turned looking at the floor feeling his heated gaze boring into her small frame. “Come here.” He ordered impassively. 

She obeyed with a small frown at his demanding antics. Feeling his piercing gaze burning her, Rose came to a halt in front of him avoiding his gaze and heard him breathe out a satisfied sigh as he leaned back in his chair studying her for a few precious moments. 

“Sit on my lap.” His voice was cold and commanding, leaving no room for disobedience. 

His calm self assured authority made Rose wish to obey and please him. He made her feel safe and protected under his dominion and ever controlled leadership. 

She chewed her lip and crawled into his lap tensing a little when he deftly moved her knee to straddle his thighs again. 

Hux leaned back further with a self satisfied taunting smirk, “Kiss me, Rose.” He commanded, his voice gained a whole new huskier undertone. Possessive eyes glimmered greedily as she dipped her head and brushed her lips against his lightly and pulled away eyeing him a little warily. 

“Good girl.” He murmured with eyes darkened by lust, he let out a low pleased growl as he snaked his hand behind her head and pulled her down onto him. Her innocent brush of her lips was a good sign considering how wary she was to touch him, but it was by far, too inadequate a taste of his tantalizing little rebel.

He crashed her lips onto his and kissed her passionately, he felt her slowly respond to his touch and place her hands on his chest to brace herself. He gently nipped and sucked at her bottom lip ordering her to open up and allow him entrance to explore her intoxicating little mouth. 

He suppressed an impatient huff when she took far too long to open up for his greedy mouth as he cupped her cheek with one hand before grabbing a fistful of her hair with the other and tightening, causing her to gasp in surprise and let out a small moan. Hux hummed in approval as he invaded her mouth with his tongue, pressing down on her chin with his thumb to widen the gap he deepened the kiss further fighting for dominance in her tiny little mouth

Hux allowed his mind to go blank as he drank her in, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, he pressed her down and held her tight. His rebel varmint was far too erotically tempting. 

They pulled away for air and Hux ran his tingling hands up and down her sides, itching to touch her closer. Her karking uniform suddenly seemed far too much, it was covering her gorgeous voluptuous figure. He would have to rethink what his varmint wore, perhaps something with much less fabric between himself and her soft olive skin. 

His eyes fell to that soft skin of her neck before his mouth quickly followed, trailing hot kisses along her soft skin feeling her moan and shudder on top of him. He bit down harder on her neck wishing to take her, to take everything that was his, she belonged to him. 

Rose pulled away and looked down at him with her dark soulful eyes, before quickly attacking his own neck with hot wet kisses, biting harder than he did. 

Hux grunted through the pain feeling his dick straining hard. Her bites reminded him too much of her ferocious will, that beautiful enchanting fire in her eyes and the challenge she held there for him. 

An involuntary groan escaped his lips as he quickly pulled her head in for another kiss knowing that he would lose his mind if she continued biting at that spot for too long. 

Rose felt her will slowly crumbling as she copied his earlier move and tightened a fist into his hair and invaded his mouth, the taste of him made her want follow her more natural instincts damning whatever stupid rules she had set for herself. Feeling Hux against her and tasting him, fighting for control was well worth the regret that would undoubtedly wash over her later. 

She stiffened when Hux wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down into him uncrossing his legs in the process. She gasped into his mouth when she felt his thick hard member pressing into her centre straining painfully against his trousers. 

She shuddered at the feel of it, unsure how it would feel inside her. It felt too big for her, too realistic, she could feel it pressing deliciously against her warm wet clit. Her senses slowly came back to her. She couldn’t do this, not with Hux, not while she was his prisoner. 

Rose pulled away and felt his hands slipping behind to grip her ass tightly leaving a scorching trail along her skin. He looked up at her with dark hunger pressing her down on himself further, the smallest ghost of a smirk played across his features. 

“Varmint,” Hux growled, but paused when her eyes widened as she faintly shook her head unconsciously. There was fear in her eyes. Along with pure desire for him, petrified terror. She wasn’t ready yet. 

With a small sigh he gave her ass a barely noticeable squeeze before dragging his hands up to her hips and looked up into her eyes again. They flashed with something unidentifiable but full of stiff resolve before she quickly stood up and practically ran into his inner chambers. 

After a deafening pause, Hux leaned over with a defeated groan and rested his forehead on his desk closing his eyes and mulling over what just happened. She couldn’t just run off like that, she was too perfect, too soft and supple. Her voluptuous curves were just too much for him, too tempting and exotic. 

Waiting for his little varmint was going to be a lot harder than he thought it would be, what was she waiting for anyways? She obviously wanted him, what was stopping her and why was she being so stubborn. Why couldn’t she give in and let her selfishness take over for once? Damn her stupid ideals. Stars, why did she have to be so karking irresistible...

Rose hid away in the fresher staring angrily at herself in the mirror, she couldn’t give it to her desires for him, no matter how confident, handsome, alluring. The image of him with his hungry, darkened, piercing stare, lips puffy and swollen from their fight for dominance and his messed red hair...No! Stop that! Rose chided herself.

She could never go down that road, not while they were still enemies, she was a prisoner here. 

Her eyes fell down to the necklace dangling against her chest and felt a surge of guilt and shame. She was betraying her family, Hux was still First Order, he hadn’t changed, he was still the cold blooded monster. Not to her, but to the rest of the galaxy he was still the domineering evil general, he was still the driving force behind the despicable First Order monster machine. 

She hid away for a little longer gathering up the courage to face Hux again. Pausing at the door, she caught herself, noticing her medallion out on display and quickly tucked it away out of his calculating gaze. 

Hux was standing by the bar glass of whiskey in hand when she finally ambled out of the fresher. She hastily looked away when their eyes met, and saw him turn his back to her and down his drink in one. She could see his ears burning and knew that she was probably blushing just as bad, or worse even.

They were saved by the door chiming, signalling that the dinner service droid arrived at his door. Hux straightened, composing himself and clasping his hands behind his back before her strided briskly through the door to the office to get the front door. 

Hux met her in the kitchenette as she was setting the table. “Here.” He said pressing a datapad into her hands.

Rose looked up at him in confusion. “It’s so you don’t get bored and climb all over me when I’m trying to work.” He snarked with no real malice behind his voice, making her blush and look away. 

She quietly studied him as he set the tray on the counter, his movements seemed uncharacteristically distracted and subdued. She frowned, wondering if it was from what happened earlier. 

She opened the datapad and checked the files, it was heavily encrypted and disconnected from the holonet but she did find a couple holobooks on it. She skimmed through the book titles furrowing her brows, all the titles were related to the First Order. Well, at least the gesture was sweet of him. 

With a small sigh, Rose set the datapad on the counter and grinned faintly as she watched Hux absentmindedly pouring over and straightening all the cutlery and napkins she had set up earlier with meticulous detail. Why did she even bother helping him if he would redo her work?

When he was satisfied with his work, he pulled out a chair for her and sat her down before sitting down himself and delicately folding his napkin over his lap while crossing his legs. 

They ate in companionable silence and cleaned up together while not speaking. The longer Hux remained quiet the more concerned Rose got, she had never seen him this distracted before. It couldn’t have been because of her, perhaps something happened after she left his office. 

The silence lasted all the way into the night and by the time she slipped into bed next to him, she was burning with unanswered questions. 

When a hand snuck under her head she jumped in surprise and rolled over to see a small tired smirk playing across his lips at her reaction before he lazily closed his eyes and relaxed his features. 

Rose frowned, chewing her lip unsure if she should ask him what was wrong and risk his tired wrath. Perhaps he wouldn’t bother even answering her questions. 

When his breathing deepened and even out relaxing further, Rose sighed and blinked up at his peaceful face. He looked so calm, years younger when his face wasn’t marred and tensed in perpetual distaste. His face was so innocent, not burdened and torn by the war. In another life, he would look like this, so peaceful and open, vulnerable even. 

Rose hesitantly reached out a hand and gently trailed her fingers across one of his ginger eyebrows before trailing her fingers down across from his ear to his chin. Ghosting along his jawline trying not to wake him up she admired how symmetrical and sharp his features were. 

“That is dreadfully distracting.” Hux’s First Order accent cut through the silence like a knife. 

She twitched her fingers away blushing furiously at being caught blatantly ogling him. 

Hux opened his eyes and smirked at her adorable reaction before flexing the arm under her head to pull her in for a kiss. “What is it that’s keeping you awake and giving you the urge to fondle me while I’m asleep.” Hux teased, enjoying the way she blushed at his words. 

Rose chewed her lip unsure if she should pry. Hux seemed normal enough now anyway, he was probably over whatever weird mood he was in. “Tell me.” Hux rested his hand on her waist and squeezed after she didn’t answer for a long time. 

“You were just really quiet today is all.” She sighed and buried her head in his chest, closing her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt a small chuckle rumble throughout his chest.

“I have been merely contemplating a rather troublesome question.” Hux brushed her hair affectionately. 

Rose pulled away and frowned up at him, so something did happen to him after she left his office. “But you figured it out?” 

Hux lifted himself to an elbow with a small smirk, she was so unassuming, so simple and innocent. He raked his eyes over her face, catching her warm curious hazel eyes for a moment before being drawn down to her lips and her adorable little pout. He felt her breath catch in her throat when he reached out a finger and traced out her bottom lip. 

“Hardly. I fear I will be stuck on this little problem for the rest of my life, my darling.” Hux breathed out headily watching her enchanting eyes sparkle beneath him. 

His smirk morphed into a genuine smile when her brows furrowed in confusion. She didn’t understand that she was what had been fully occupying his mind, taunting him with her beautiful body and shining personality, she was utterly addicting to him, intoxicating him every day. She didn’t know that these past few days had quite possibly been his happiest. 

“But-” She started but was stopped by Hux who suppressed a huff and an eye roll before covering her mouth with his, silencing her petty questions with a kiss. 

Hux opened her mouth with a thumb pressing her chin down and let himself in with a satisfied hum. Once Rose responded to the kiss, he rested his head back down on the pillow pulling her on top of him and let her take control of their pace. 

Rose’s mind went blank as he allowed her control driving a surge of hot burning need down between her legs. She cupped his cheek and deepened their kiss, grabbing fistfuls of his hair in her tiny hands hearing a groan escape his throat reverberating through them both she moaned in pleasure. She slid her hands down across his chest exploring his firm body underneath her hungrily.

She pulled away for hair and stared darkly down at him breathlessly observing his hooded and dilated eyes. His lips were red and puffy as he leaned up a little wanting more of her. 

Rose dipped her head slightly before stopping herself, she couldn’t do this. Her will would crumble to dust if she continued this further. Her throat went dry and she gulped feeling her fingers shaking as she detached her hands from his hair. 

Hux caught her hand and kissed it letting her know he would wait. “Sleep, my darling.” a soft grateful smile played out across her lips at that. 

Rose slid down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. After a moment she lifted her head and kissed his jaw “goodnight, general Hux, sir.” She smiled softly and snuggled back into his shoulder breathing out a yawn into his neck not noticing the way his eyes glimmered darkly at her words. 

Hux’s heart swelled and he snaked his arms around her before falling asleep holding her tightly.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Unguarded

Hux was brusquely woken up from his slumber in the middle of the night by his comms buzzing from the nightstand. Wearlily he suppressed an annoyed groan at the interruption. 

Begrudgingly detaching himself from Rose sleeping cozily in his arms, he sat up and checked his chrono quickly coming to full alert. 3:26 AM. He frowned and scanned over his comms. Insurgents were found during a routine sensory scan. He would have to go up to the bridge and authorize the correct offensive measures. 

With a brief sigh he turned to his varmint who sidled up to him in her sleep drawn to his warm body and gave her captivating inky black tresses a gentle stroke. 

Suppressing another groan, he stood up and padded to the fresher running a tired hand through his hair knowing he would have a long day tomorrow, or today for that matter.

It took him exactly eight minutes to get ready leaving the fresher looking immaculate except for the dark shadows under his eyes, he found Rose sitting up in bed looking at him large hazel eyes blinking at him wide eyed. 

“Armitage, what’s going on?” She asked apprehensively as she watched him casually pick up his comms from the nightstand and attached it to its habitual place on his uniform. 

“Go back to sleep, rebel.” Hux murmured, a hint of irritation in his voice. It frustrated him more that he cared to admit that he had to leave her alone in the middle of the night like this. 

But when he looked up at her, his eyes softened, she had moved into a kneeling position and was watching him curiously. The light from the bedside table reflected off her smooth olive skin making her practically glow. She looked so ethereal and so innocent, a precious little creature, his precious little Rose, meant to be protected from whatever the harsh cruel galaxy had in store. 

Hux rested a knee on the bed and leaned over to cup her adorable and charming round cheek and give her a kiss. “It’s nothing, darling. Merely a disagreement with a band of insurgents, I will have them disposed of and come back promptly.” With that, Hux stood up and briskly strided out of their room before Rose could open her mouth to protest. 

“But Hux, you can’t just do that...” She trailed off as her voice was swallowed by the darkness as the door swished shut behind him and the bedside lamp shut off shortly after that. 

She stood up feeling sick to her stomach and grabbed a glass of water from the kitchenette fully intending to stay up until Hux came back to question him further about the ‘disagreement’ that he was so callous to call it that. She dearly hoped whoever those people were, they could escape Hux’s clutches and that disposing of them didn’t mean what she already knew it meant. 

Maybe he could spare their lives as a gift for her if she couldn’t get through to him by convincing him that his ways were wrong and evil. He couldn’t be so cold and merciless. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself feeling suddenly cold and crawling back into bed she forced herself to stay awake as long as she could but after an hour she found herself dozing off. 

A deafening crash woke Rose up with a shriek. She sat up sharply, feeling her heart beating at lightspeed and saw Hux’s tall thin frame silhouetted in the doorway of the fresher, back tense and hair sticking out at all ends, brazenly out of its usual state of orderly perfection. 

“Go to sleep, insect.” Hux growled quietly and deadly barely looking over his shoulder in her direction before slamming the door panel making it swish shut and leaving her in darkness again. 

With brows furrowed in confusion, she slid off the bed and ambled to the fresher with outstretched arms blindly groping for the door and knocking lightly. “Hux?” She asked timidly, unsure what was going on, something seemed very off with him.

The door opened to reveal Hux leaning a hand on the door frame just above her head, face shrouded in darkness and shoulders sagging wearily. 

“What do you want, Rose?” Hux sighed tiredly but kept his voice stony and impassive.

Rose frowned, wondering why he would turn off the fresher lights before opening the door to meet her. “Are you ok?” She narrowed his eyes up at his hidden face suspiciously. She reached up a hand to his face unconsciously but was stopped by him wrapping his long bare fingers around hers dwarfing her hand. 

She heard him huff out in exasperation when she took a step closer to see him more better and felt him place a hand on her chest giving her a rough push. “That’s no concern of yours.” He allowed a sneer in his voice before slamming the door shut again. 

Rose lost balance and fell on her rear staring stunned at the door that just closed in her face. 

She stood up quickly and assaulted the door with a series of impetulant knocks until Hux appeared at the door again, furious, the air around him felt much colder as he glowered down at her. 

Rose crossed her arms stubbornly, “I want to know, Hux.” Snapping defiantly. 

She didn’t falter when she felt his stone cold piercing gaze boring down on her and glared back in the general direction of his face challenging him. 

When he sighed defeatedly, he muttered “Fine. But do not speak, understand? Not. A. Sound.” He warned pointendly voice cold and deathly rigid, one sound from her and he would kick her out without hesitation. 

Rose gulped and nodded quickly before realizing he probably couldn’t see her. “Okay.” Frowning when her voice sounded weaker than it should have been. 

Hux turned on the light and swiftly turned away from her before her eyes could adjust to the light. She blinked against the harsh light for a moment as she stepped in further slowly taking in the scene. 

Hux was standing over the counter with an open medkit in front of him, he was slowly unbuttoning the top buttons of his uniform hesitating almost apprehensively. He was ignoring her but by his stiff movements Rose could tell that he was only all too aware of her presence and hated every minute of it. She slowly and carefully scooted herself up to sit on the other side of the counter legs dangling on the opposite end to where he was standing and watched him work with a frown. 

Hux burned with shame and trepidation at her seeing him like this, fragile, helpless, a weakling. All his senses were in fight or flight mode. He could practically hear Brendol’s voice mocking him for showing this much vulnerability in his own head. 

His varmint was supposed to see him as her strong leader and protector and the kind of partner she could always trust to take care of her and want to stay by his side, not some weak willed boy. What if his Rose saw something in him she didn’t like and wouldn’t want to be in his life? 

She held what was left of his shrivelled blackened heart, he needed her in his life. Humiliation sunk deeper in his stomach. Rose couldn’t see him like this, vulnerable and unguarded, what was he even thinking? No one could see him like this, he was disgusting and weak in this state. She would hate it, she could never see him like this. Hux could never open up to her and show her this damaged side of him, he was undesirable enough on normal days, it only promised pain and rejection if she saw this side of him. 

Hux’s throat went dry as his hands stilled, he clenched his jaw glaring at himself in the mirror. Weak willed boy, soft, disgusting, bastard. He dipped his head and dug his hands through the medpack racking his brain for a way out of this mess, he had to get Rose out of there before she saw through his carefully crafted walls. 

He pulled out a bacta patch and glared murderously down at it wracking his brain for an escape. 

“Can I help with that?” Her quiet voice cut through his dark thoughts like a razor sharp knife. 

His head snapped up her and he noticed with a sharp twist inside as she recoiled at the sight of his full face with widening eyes. Her brows knit together as she took in the sight of his bruised cheek and split lip. 

“Careful, creature.” He growled viciously, his lip curling down at her, ready to kick her out. He was the one that was supposed to take care of her, not vice versa. 

He clenched his jaw and turned back to the mirror pulling down the collar of his shirt to reveal the large bruise around his neck that Ren had graced him with. When he heard the involuntary sympathetic pained hiss from the rebel beside him he snapped his head to her eyes blazing in shameful rage.

Rose’s eyes widened realizing her mistake and quickly looked down at her hands mentally cursing herself for acknowledging his injuries causing him discomfort and mortification. 

Hux opened his mouth to sharply order her to bed but was stopped by her sighing and throwing her hands up in defeat with glassy eyes. 

“Fine, I’ll go. It’s obvious you don’t want me here.” She said in a wounded but angry voice. 

She slid off the counter and turned to leave with her head bowed dejectedly making Hux feel a whisper of remorse for treating her so harshly, she didn’t look repulsed or joyed by his weakness as he remembered was the standard reaction from his childhood. Hux regretfully watched her shuffling out of the fresher pausing at the doorway. 

“You know, if we are supposed to be ‘equals’ then you have to let me in sometimes. Being a couple means more than just taking care of me and protecting me. I want to know the real you, Armitage. I know you can take care of yourself but we are supposed to care for each other. I want to...” She bit her lip and turned away angrily when his impassive face slowly reddened in irritation feeling stupid for her outburst. 

She hugged her arms around herself and made to leave but was stopped by his firm commanding voice. “Wait. Come here.”

She paused looking over her shoulder at him warily, she didn’t want him to make some stinging barb about her idiotic and naive word vomitting. Turning when he took a step towards her she lowered her eyes to the bacta patch in the hand he held out to her. 

She tentatively took it from him brushing her fingers against his bare ones feeling a surge of thrilling electricity at the contact. 

Rose allowed Hux to pull her back into the fresher by the hand and pick her up by the waist setting her down on the countertop legs splayed on either side of him. She would have blushed at their precarious proximity if it wasn’t for the state Hux was in. She couldn’t help feeling pained for him, the sight of him affected her more deeply than she cared to admit for a First Order general. 

Hux scrutinized every detail of her as she applied the patch to his cheek, half expecting her face to morph into pleasure or revulsion at the sight of his weakness. But he only saw sympathy and pain in her soulful eyes. He lowered his eyes down to her full luscious lips where her tongue was only just peeking out in concentration on the task at hand, ghosting her fingers over his face trying not to hurt him. 

He masked a sad smile, she couldn’t hurt him, he spent his whole life dealing with this from one sadistic despot to another. However, her careful thoughtfulness warmed his heart, she cared for him deeply, perhaps more than she even realized herself. With her sitting there patching up his wounds, seeing his fragile side didn’t feel as mortifying as Hux thought it would be, it actually felt quite pleasurable to not have to hide himself away. 

When she finished with his face, she leaned back tiredly as Hux dug through the medpack stalling for a few more precious minutes. Her eyes drooped shut as he pulled out another much larger bacta patch a few moments later and proceeded to unbutton his uniform further, steeling himself for what was coming next. 

Hux felt a small surge of relief when he glanced at her and saw that she had fallen asleep leaning her head against the wall. He chuckled at how adorable she looked. 

“Not here, rodent, go.” He murmured as he gave her shoulder a gentle shake. 

“Hmm?” She hummed and blinked up tiredly at him barely staying awake.

“Go to sleep, love.” Hux sighed and pulled her off the counter and marched her by the shoulders to the door before giving her a gentle push towards the bed. He watched as she shuffled to the bed and flopped down on it immediately falling back asleep. 

As soon as he finished patching up his injuries, he changed and crawled in beside her huffing in slight exasperation when he realized that she had fallen asleep on top of the covers like a common animal. 

He covered her properly and pulled her limp body into his chest snaking an arm under her head and planting a tender kiss into her hair. He breathed a deep breath closing his eyes as he lost himself in the scent of sunshine and flowers. 

He wondered if she really meant what she said about wanting to know him, the real him. No, she probably didn’t, he would only disappoint her. Rose wouldn’t want him, he was too evil for her purity, he was nothing compared to her. 

He had to fight for everything he had, he had to bribe, murder, cheat, and steal without mercy to have the life he wanted. A deep rooted shame burned away at him, telling him he was never good enough, driving him to prove himself. He didn’t have much to offer her other than power, credits, and the freedom to roam anywhere in the galaxy when he became Supreme Leader. 

In what felt like the blink of an eye, Hux awoke five minutes before his alarm as per usual and suppressed a curse knowing that he would barely have the energy to tackle his already busy schedule. 

He rubbed his eyes tiredly with a sigh before gritting his teeth and getting ready for the day, taking a stim shot for the extra vitality. 

Rose was sleeping peacefully on her back when Hux came to a halt above her. He longed to reach out and touch her beautiful luscious hair and lose himself in her enchanting beauty, but he couldn’t allow her to distract him today. She had been doing that far too much lately and he couldn’t forget his plan. She must join the Order, he would finish her schedule and talk to her about it and make her agree to join. 

“Rose, wake up.” She didn’t move and scrunched up her face when he shook her shoulder gently. Hux glared up at the ceiling with a frustrated huff offering up a silent plea to the stars for patience. 

“Rose…” Hux warned and shook her more forcefully. “Five more minutes…” She mumbled as she rolled over wrapping the blanket tight around herself. 

“Rose!” Hux snapped as he impatiently wrenched the blankets off her sleeping form hearing her whines of protest. He quickly caught one of her ankles and unceremoniously yanked it towards the edge of the bed. 

“Alright alright.” She grumbled angrily and lifted herself to her hands and knees shuffling out of the large bed. 

Hux’s throat went dry as the movement afforded him a perfect view of her shapely bottom. As she slowly stretched out her foot to find purchase on the durasteel floor her hips swayed irresistibly, Hux tore his eyes away and backed away quickly turning away to the kitchen barking out her allotted time for the fresher. 

Hux slammed on the door panel when she ran out of time hearing it swish open immediately and looking away. “Time’s up.” He muttered under his breath. 

When Rose sauntered out of the fresher unperturbed by his irate mood Hux inspected her with growing aggravation she left the top buttons undone, unbelievably sloppy. “Fix your uniform.” He snarled down at her.

Rose feigned innocence and straightened her cuffs and hem smoothing out wrinkles. Her eyes twinkled as Hux let out a frustrated huff and swatted her hands out of the way before lifting her chin up and slipping his adept fingers under her collar to do it himself. 

Hux had no time for his little varmints dumb games, he knew she was purposefully doing this to goad a reaction out of him. Normally he enjoyed her little challenges but not today, he didn’t have time. He had a trade deal to work on, an upcoming speech to write, conscriptions rates were falling and he still needed to complete Rose’s indoctrination format - 

“Rose!” Hux roared when he felt her tiny hand raking through his hair.

He straightened and glowered darkly down at her, but with no real malice behind it. When he saw Rose cover her mouth trying vainly to suppress a giggle at the sight of him with twinkling eyes full of joy all his anger and stress dissipated in an instant. Perhaps he shouldn’t let his work stresses creep into his blissful mornings he shared with her. 

A faint genuine smile broke out across his face and he shook his head. “You filthy little - come sit down.” He ran a hand through his hair smoothing it down, he would fix it later. 

Rose ate happily, excited to be able to go home in just a few short days. 

She missed Ajan Kloss and all her friends, as soon as she arrived she would make sure to spend lots of time with them, right after she had them all evacuated to a different planet somewhere far across the galaxy. She would attend every one of Poe’s holovid nights and pour over broken speeders with Rey. 

She mulled over the previous night's events as she watched Hux casually drink his tea while he read daily reports on his datapad. 

“Hux?” She broke the silence. “What is it, varmint.” Hux asked, not lifting his eyes up from his datapad. 

“What happened last night?” She could see him stiffen under her gaze and reached out a hand to rest it on his wrist. 

When he didn’t answer, she squeezed it encouragingly. “A band of insurgents appeared on our radar. Don’t worry, darling, I allowed them to escape, we still need the rebels alive for our plan.” Hux answered cooly and added the last part to appease her ridiculous penchant for compassion. 

When she squeezed his wrist again he grit his teeth “Ren was not pleased.” He ground out quietly. Answering her unasked question. 

Rose frowned at that, suppressing a shiver, Ren did that to Hux, it didn’t make sense, Hux was a high ranking officer and a valuable asset. She wanted to press him further on the subject but the hints of discomfort written on his face told her to drop the matter all together. 

“What plan?” She chewed her lip. 

Hux breathed out a long patient breath as if he was about to explain something unbelievably simple to a petulant child. “The plan. The plan were we relieve the First Order from Ren’s stifling clutches and I retain my rightful place as Supreme Leader bringing about peace and order to the galaxy with you at my side.” He replied casually as he folded up his napkin and set it on the table. 

Rose held in a gasp. “That’s not my - “ “We will continue this discussion tonight, my darling.” Hux stood up and kissed her forehead gathering up his datapad and leaving briskly. 

Rose watched him go with worry, Hux seemed to think that she would willingly go along with whatever he wished. She wouldn’t, and their week was almost up, Hux said he would let her go if she didn’t want to stay. And she could never join the First Order, perhaps he forgot their agreement. 

Despite being mentally and physically exhausted, the day passed too quickly for Hux and by the time he finished his varmint’s indoctrination schedule he still hadn’t found a good argument to persuade her to cooperate peacefully yet. 

He leaned back and crossed his legs as he reviewed his work with a self satisfied smirk plastered across his face. It was definitely one of his better works. Once she started her conditioning, she would realize that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was. They would finally be on the same page, fully equal, both refined and perfect and she would be his beautiful and flawless rebel. 

“Rose, come here.” His smirk morphed into a genuine smile when she peeked through the open doorway with her warm soulful hazel eyes. 

When she neared his heart thumped faster at the sight of her, she looked absolutely stunning as she made her way towards him in her First Order uniform with a hint of a soft smile gracing her irresistible lips and her perfectly styled luscious midnight hair framing her round face. She looked so calm and comfortable, barely wary or distrustful of him which made him swell with pride and joy. 

He beckoned her to his side and began to explain his indoctrination process to her. 

She casually leaned an elbow on the back of his chair as Hux eagerly launched into explaining some First Order nonsense to her and feigned interest. After a minute of him talking, his words started to blend together into background noise as her eyes were drawn to his hair. 

She loved his hair, it was so colorful and vibrant compared to her dull black. Itching to touch it and run her hand through it, she was about to reach out a hand for his hair made stiff with pomade when he turned to look up at her with a frown after she didn’t answer his question. 

She realized that he had just asked her something to which she hadn’t been paying attention. “Ginger, er, umm what did you say?” Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. 

Hux sighed out a long suffering breath and took her hand pulling her into his lap wrapping his arms around her to keep her in place. “Focus, varmint.” He glared at the top of her head before starting over again. 

As he pointed out various things on his datapad display, he frowned but continued his speech when she took his gloved hand in her smaller ones and examined his palm before slowly pulling off his glove. She examined the glove, slipping it on her hand with great interest. 

Was she paying attention? Hux narrowed his eyes down at her as he continued slowing his words a fraction. 

Rose examined the glove on her hand as she listened to him, something about schedules, drug injections, protocols and holovids. She didn’t really want to hear about what nightmarish plan he was planning to do, she would hopefully be gone before he could do anything truly heinous. 

She inhaled the gloves scent and closed her eyes with a distracted smile, it reminded her of Hux and summers back on Hays minor. 

When his arm tightened around her unconsciously she looked up and met his narrowed, steely green gaze. A thought struck her and she pulled off the glove holding it out looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. 

Hux halted his speech when she held out the glove by a finger staring up at him with twinkling eyes before letting it fall on the floor. He couldn’t help his eyes from flashing angrily, not only did she drop his glove on the filthy floor, but she wasn’t listening and purposefully being disruptive, undisciplined and unruly. 

“Rose, do I need to put you across my knee?” He warned with a scowl at her insubordination. 

The corners of his mouth quirked up when she grinned “Sorry Hux, I couldn’t help it. But I’m not really interested in First Order business unless it’s something I can use to help the Resistance.” 

Hux suppressed a grunt and clutched the armrests tightly when she leaned over and picked up the glove quickly unconsciously pressing against him. 

“This is your indoctrination schedule, Rose. You must pay attention, this is an intensive process.” Hux allowed her to slip the glove back on his hand wordlessly. 

When she didn’t respond, Hux threaded his fingers between hers and continued.”It will not change you, it will open your eyes, it will make you understand. You may start as soon as tomorrow.” 

Rose shook her head with a sad sigh making him deflate slightly. It felt so right to be with Hux but not like this, not in the First Order, they would never agree on this. 

Hux suppressed a frustrated sigh, she was too stubborn, too defiant. He was much too exhausted to argue with her. “Rose, When you start this, I will give you clearance to roam about the ship.” Hux untied her hair and slipped the ties around his wrist brushing out her hair. Hating that they couldn’t agree on this small little detail, if only she submitted...

“I will give you all power and credits, I will show you the galaxy. You will be as powerful as you are beautiful, darling.” He murmured quietly focusing on the way her soft midnight curtain played through his fingers. “We will rule the galaxy as equals, Rose.” 

“I don’t want to hurt people, Hux.” She muttered quietly after a few long minutes of silence. 

Hux sighed and dropped his hands from her hair. “The FIrst Order is only a means to end all the disorder and suffering.” 

When she quietly shook her head. “It’s not.” Hux ran a hand down his face knowing that they had been down this road before. They remained silent for a long time both unsure how to continue the conversation without arguing. 

“Hux? Would you join me?” She looked up at him hopefully. 

Hux leaned back with a frown letting out a long breath. “I can’t join the Resistance, love.” He would be executed on site. 

Rose chewed her lip deep in thought. “What if you didn’t have to? We could go away, somewhere far away. Forget the kriffing war, we could actually, truly help people that were ravaged by the First Order and forgotten by the New Republic.” She wasn’t sure if she could leave the war and her friends, but toyed with the idea if it meant Hux would leave the Order. 

Hux smiled sadly at her, she was being incredibly naive. Once the word got out that a First Order general left the Order, large sums of money would be placed on his head from both sides of the war; he was both a war criminal and a spy. They would always be hunted down, they could never come out of hiding. He couldn’t put her through that, she deserved so much more. 

No, the best thing for them both was to stay in the Order and have her indoctrinated and remain on top, ruling the galaxy.

“Think about it.” Hux muttered as he slipped her off his lap and stood up ordering dinner off his datapad.

“Will you think about joining me?” Rose asked, craning her head to meet his gaze. 

Hux slid his arm around her shoulder pulling her into his side with another faint sad smile. “Of course I will, darling.” He knew it couldn’t happen but would entertain the idea for her anyway. 

It was the Steadfast jumping into lightspeed that caught her attention and she looked behind her at the big large windows behind them. The light streaked past beautifully dancing across deep space wild and free. She gasped and turned making her way closer to the window. 

“Tell me about your Hyperspace tracker.” She turned sharply to see him watching her appreciatively giving him a start. 

Hux internally chuckled, he was beginning to think she had forgotten about that. He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a datapad and unlocked it but paused unsure if he should just hand over this piece of information highly coveted by her for free without asking for anything in return. 

When he looked up at her and saw the spark in her eyes growing brighter in excitement he decided that the pure joy in her eyes was enough of a reward for him to give it to her. He pressed it into her eager hands just as the door chimed. 

They ate dinner in silence as Hux watched as she chewed her lip in concentration, pouring over his Hyperspace tracker schematics. He quickly looked away when she looked up after feeling his heated gaze on her. 

“I think you could make a much more compact version for starfighters.” She muttered as she set the datapad down and focused on her meal. 

“No, the types of field data make the banks required much too large.” Hux dismissed. Rose wiped her hands and picked up the datapad again. “You could swap this Static Hyperspace field generator for a Quanta QT-Gen and a C8 Stati field with modified NCP chips-” As she rattled on pointing at various points on the schematics Hux grew more and more impressed by her. 

Once he lost her he lifted his eyes to her and admired her appreciatively, he would love to have her as chief engineer of his Weapons Development Division. She was perfect, her mind was beautiful and her ideas were completely original and unique. 

He could never imagine his scientists inventing something using various models and parts from different prototypes to make something completely new and unique in so short of a time. 

A genuine smile broke across his face when she finished schooling him and tucked away her datapad again, starting to eat again oblivious to the fact that she had lost him in the middle of her overly complex explanation. 

“I will tell my scientists to look into it. Where did you study engineering, Rose?” Hux wondered if it was somewhere in First Order territory, if it wasn’t he would consider launching a campaign to acquire the school.

“I just read books.” She shrugged.

“You didn’t attend any engineering academy?” Hux frowned people can’t just learn to do what she just did from books. 

Rose shrugged, blushing faintly. “No, I wanted to, but after my planet got attacked I had to focus on surviving. When my parents sent my sister and I to find the Resistance, I read a lot of engineering textbooks and ship manuals.” 

Rose rambled on, “I had to learn quickly and know every detail about the tech I work on because we normally don’t have spare parts that fit together nicely, so I had to learn how to modify prototypes. Actually that’s what gave me the idea to make bafflers, I managed to mask ion exhaust by mixing together- ” Her words were drowned out by Hux’s cutlery loudly clanging to the table hitting his plate. 

She looked up at him, he looked stunned and impossibly pale. “You?...you Invented the baffler?” Hux stared at her. She was the one responsible for him losing a month's worth of sleep.

“Yeah?” She said slowly furrowing her brows, why did he care about that little detail. “I don’t get why you’re so interested in that…” She trailed off with a frown.

Hux chuckled with a small shake of his head. “Of course it would be you.” he muttered to himself as he picked up his fork. “You cost me a month's worth of sleep along with a great deal of undue stress, you naughty little rebel.” He smirked as realization dawned across her face. 

“You deserve it.” She quipped jovially. 

He cringed as he remembered the long nights and Snoke’s beatings during the Atterra system conflict and felt pain twist at his chest, she was probably right. 

They finished dinner in companionable silence and soon after sat comfortably on the sofa. Hux crossed his legs and took a sip from his glass of whiskey as Rose brought her feet up on the sofa fully absorbed in the datapad still. He snuck and arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side watching her as she added some of her own notes in the schematics. 

He felt pride surge in him, she would be his perfect little engineer heading up all his weapons research. 

He kissed her temple and closed his eyes taking in her intoxicating scent. “You would be perfect in my Weapons Development Division, love.” He whispered softly, First Order accent making his words sound smooth and elegant, like velvet. “You could lead the whole operation, you have the most beautiful and unique mind.” 

Rose looked up at him with a frown, “I could never do that, Hux.” She muttered, turning back down stiffening slightly. “It’s wrong. I won’t invent anything to hurt people.” 

“It’s not wrong. weapons are tools to gain peace and order.” He whispered and kissed the shell of her ear. “Don’t be naive, my little varmint.” He murmured, tightening his arm around her when she bristled at his words. 

Rose relaxed into him again with a sigh when he didn’t let go, “Let’s not argue, Armitage. We can talk later, tomorrow will be a full week.” She glanced up at him briefly before resting her head on his shoulder, he had a far away look in his eyes. 

“You still remember our agreement, right?” She chewed her lip. 

Hux leaned his chin on top of her head with a grimace “Yes.” He admitted sourly trying to keep the sneer out of his voice. He had hoped to persuade her to decide to stay a little longer by the time their week was up so he wouldn’t have to make her choice for her. 

He let go of her and took a long swig from his glass barely registering the burning sensation running down his throat. Wishing he could forget the tremendous obstacle standing between them, keeping them from sharing the rest of their lives together, standing between him and happiness with his Rose. 

When Rose tilted her head to look at him briefly before glancing down at his drink curiously Hux wordlessly offered her a taste. She hesitated for just a moment before covering his gloved fingers with her own, bringing the glass up to her lips and taking a small sip of her own immediately feeling the burn.

Hux snorted at her automatic recoil, repelled by the taste and scrunching up her face in disgust as he pulled the glass away from her grasp. Years of drinking the stuff conditioned him not to bat an eye over the awful tasting amber liquid. 

He downed his drink and set it on the coffee table respectively before leaning back and pulling her closer to himself slouching slightly and leaning his head back. He could finally feel himself languidly relaxing after his long tiresome day. 

He drowsily watched Rose work on her datapad. Her pressed up against his body felt so right and natural, her touch felt so calming, he could easily lose himself in her, in her beautiful, enchantingly ferocious, innocent personality. She was like a ray of sunshine, a bright shining star, easily bringing him out of his stifling schedule with only her twinkling compassionate eyes, it was like a breath of fresh air, like water in a desert, she brought color to his dull grey world.


	14. Chapter thirteen: Crave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's kinda just smutty stuff. Dubious consent though.

That afternoon, when Rose heard Hux in his office, she approached and stood in the doorway and observed him for a moment. He was sitting legs crossed reading reports on his datapad, quintessentially the ever perfect looking First Order general. 

His intense and driven eyes flashed up briefly to her, surprising her for she had thought she hadn’t made a sound, it reminded Rose of how cautious and on alert he always seemed to be. 

“What is it, Rose?” Hux asked coldly, on the brink of annoyance at her interrupting him at work. 

She steeled herself up, they had to talk. She waited long enough she had to tell him that she couldn’t live here, he would have to let her go like he promised. It was the only thing that kept her sane and civil this past week. 

“Can we talk about - “ “Not now, my darling.” Hux cut her off hiding a grimace, knowing exactly what was on her mind before she even opened her mouth. It was far too easy to read the emotions plainly written across her face. 

Rose frowned, well, he did look a little busy. She would have to remind him once he was done his work. She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before stepping closer to his desk regarding him closely.

“Then can I finish reading the Hyperspace schematics?” Hux visibly bristled, annoyed that she was interrupting him again. 

He opened the drawer but paused with his gloved hand inside. “Yes, you may but you must allow me to finish my work with no further interruptions.” He slowly grabbed his pad and unlocked it before holding it out for her. 

Rose grinned eagerly, stepping closer to his side but stopped when Hux moved it out of her grasp quickly narrowing his eyes at her. “I mean it.” 

Rose rolled her eyes lightheartedly “I promise I won’t bother you.” Hux still didn’t believe her but pressed it into her outstretched hand anyway. 

He observed her out of his peripherals as she turned around slowly walking away to lean her back against the wall before sinking to the floor knees pressed up to her chest, already fully absorbed in the schematics.

“Don’t sit on the floor, Rose.” Hux let out a lengthy long suffering sigh, he had thought he had trained her out of that. She was First Order now not an Otomok savage, and she was sitting in a general’s office, no less, he had rules for her, even though she was still an unrefined primitive. 

She barely glanced up at him before standing up getting absorbed in her datapad all over again. She ambled back towards him before sliding her rear up on his desk legs dangling. 

“Rodent, that’s not what I meant…” Hux trailed off with a resigned shake of his head and picked up his datapad to finish reading his reports, not wishing to let her distract him from his work more than she was already doing. At least she wasn’t sitting on the filthy floor anymore. 

Hux really didn’t mind her sitting on his desk, he quite enjoyed having her so close to him. The only problem was that it was tremendously distracting for him, he tried to focus on his conscription rates but her cute short legs were right beside him. If he just reached out he could run his hands up her firm thighs to her wet little-Hux frowned and focused on his work, biting his cheek. 

He should hate that she was being so undisciplined and interfering with his First Order work, but he liked it. It was like his guilty pleasure, he secretly enjoyed her unruly behavior, being able to order her around and subsequently being challenged by her drove him to passionately desire her. The game of push and pull was pleasurable. 

She was like a drug to him, and he was completely addicted to her. 

After Hux finished his work a couple hours later, he leaned back in his chair and studied her. 

She was chewing on her lip in concentration as she wrote a note on the sidelines. 

She looked so enticing. Hux longed to reach over to her and run his hands up her shapely thighs, situating himself squarely between her dangling legs and running his hands through her jet black sable hair, he would lose himself in her touch, her scent, her perfect intoxicating beauty. From her perfectly rounded cheeks to her adorable little toes, every part of her was completely irresistible to Hux. 

Did she even know what she was doing to him? 

Sensing his piercing gaze on her, Rose looked up at him, her large, compassionate, warm brown orbs blinking at him innocently. 

Shamelessly, Hux openly watched her, leaning his head on his chin deep in thought with his deep, intense, darkening eyes. He would have her soon, he would train her to enjoy his touch, to desire him as much as he wanted her, eventually. 

Curiously, she tilted her head to the side slightly finding his behavior odd, she had never seen him like this, he looked almost hungry, starving even, burning with an all consuming drive. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked breaking the long silence, curious what he could possibly be thinking. 

He wordlessly held out his hand for her palm up. Rose glanced down at it for a moment and then back up into his eyes, still a little wary of him not taking his hand. 

His eyes hardened automatically before he dropped his hand with an exasperated but resigned sigh and stood. Towering over her with his long thin frame made so much larger by his great coat he stood at attention staring down his nose at her with an unreadable glint in his eyes. 

“Hux, I don’t get it-did I do something wrong?” She tilted her head up to him, meeting his cold gaze, his face held the tiniest hint of a smirk. 

“Yes, you did.” Hux masked a snicker as he snuck his hands around her waist dwarfing her hips with his large hands and gently pulled her off the desk. 

He sat back down drawing her on top of him partly straddling him. He casually peeled the datapad from her hands and set it on the desk before leaning back in his chair bringing her along with him and hummed in pleasure at the feeling of her voluptuous body pressed up against him ignoring her stiffening. 

“I didn’t do anything.” She flinched when he casually trailed his fingers down from her shoulder to her hip and back up again circling both ends of the invisible line and, She relaxed guiltily enjoying his soothing touch. 

A rumbling chuckle reverberated through his chest. “Yes, you did, and you are still doing it.” Hux smirked when she sat up angrily, eyes flashing with confusion but also fury and annoyance. She was too easy to rile up. 

He leaned forward wrapping his arms around her tighter and closed the distance between them zeroing in on the sensitive part of her neck just below her ear. 

He smirked into the kiss when she gasped, Hux felt a self satisfied pride surge in him at that, he had managed to catalogue her every reaction to his touch in the past and knew exactly what to do to his little varmint’s body to make her respond positively. 

“No, I’m not.” Her voice sounded conflicted, less resolved. He gently bit down suckling the sensitive spot producing the smallest, faintest of mewls from her. Her hand shot out to clutch his thigh in a vice grip unsure whether or not to push him away or draw him closer.

“You are being far too irresistible.” Hux explained chuckling darkly. 

He pulled away taking her in as he brushed her hair behind her ear, her beauty was so ethereal, innocent, and pure. 

He murmured absentmindedly to himself watching her chest rise and fall with every breath. “So beautiful, like a little angel...my little angel..” Hux caught himself realizing that he had lost himself in her, losing track of his own words, her tantalizing presence was slowly pulverizing his brain and turning him into a sentimental idiot. 

He masked his shock with a smirk leaning back, slouching in his seat, he looked up at her, raking his eyes over her appraisingly. “Kiss me, Rose.” He murmured making sure to keep his voice cold, commanding, and authoritative.

His smirk widened and his eyes glimmered hungrily as her face clouded with confliction before tentatively leaning in and brushing her luscious full and alluring lips against his. He remained still as she did so. Whenever he commanded her like that, he would never interfere and help her. She was supposed to touch him first. 

Hux had learned early on in her stay that when he used that tone with her, she would be more likely to obey, something about his reassuring tone comforted her and made her feel safe. 

And by using her weakness, he had been slowly using that little bit of knowledge to slowly train her, subtly giving her commands using his calm dominant tone and always rewarding her when she obeyed. His commands were usually trivial orders training her to become accustomed to initiating contact between them. 

“Good girl.” He purred when she drew away and brushed her hair watching her shudder in his lap. Pulling her in he kissed her ear. “Such a precious little rebel. So exquisite.” He whispered before taking her earlobe in his mouth suckling gently. 

Hux trailed his hand down her back across her hip to her thigh gripping it tightly resisting a groan at the feel of her supple flesh underneath her trousers. 

Rose tensed, making Hux quickly remove his hand and take her small hand in his own larger one he placed it at the back of his head drawing her closer to himself. She placed her other hand on his chest clutching his greatcoat lapel like a vice mustering the strength to pull away and end this before they went too far. 

“Hux, I-I-” She stammered out before Hux covered her mouth with his. He tightened his hand in her hair demanding entrance and hummed in approval when she obliged slowly responding to the kiss and twitching her fingers in his hair hesitatingly. 

His wicked hand returned back to her thigh running it warmly up and down gradually creeping up higher towards her centre. His thumb trailed up her inner thigh and when his hand slid up to her hip, he brushed it across her warm centre experimentally. 

She flinched in surprise and pulled away from the kiss blinking wide eyed and anxious down at him. 

Ready to peel his hands off her and make a run for it, she whined, “Armitage-” “Relax, my little angel.” Hux murmured huskily keeping the tone of cold superiority in his voice. His hand remained on her hip thumb pressed firmly against her warm quivering centre making his dick strain painful against his trousers. Stars, she was too much. 

When she slowly relaxed into his lap to Hux’s cooing his praises for her he brushed her hair rewarding her for her obedience and showered her with reassuring words; he slowly started to rub his thumb in circles over her warm clit feeling her shudder over him. 

Her eyes clouded over with confliction, anxiety and confusion at the contact and she twitched away ready to run away again. Hux lightened his touch, faintly tracing circles over her clit barely even there. 

He had been going too fast, he would have to slow down and coax her body into wanting him, to craving his touch begging him to fulfill her every desire. 

Hux studied her face cataloguing her reaction as her eyes slowly closed furrowing her brows at war with herself, he saw the exact moment she lost her battle and let a self satisfied smirk play across his face.

When she slowly, unconsciously twitched her hips closer to his thumb trying to feel him closer Hux moved his thumb teasingly away still barely grazing her clit driving her wild with need. She tangled her hands in his hair desperately. 

“Ah-ah-ah, use your words, Rose. Tell me what you want.” Hux’s chiding tone taunted her, he was fully aware of the effect he was causing her, he could feel her clit heating up irresistibly and her hips twitching involuntarily. 

She chewed her lip wishing to resist just how badly her body was responding to his touch, her skin felt like it was on fire with pins and needles, burning to feel his touch all over her, inside her. She couldn’t want him though, he was her jailor, her kidnapper and a ruthless murdering First Order general. 

Shame washed over her as her hips jerked when Hux circled her clit again only driving her body to crave him more making her whimper. 

“I want you to touch me more…” She mewled pitifully when he obliged immediately pressing down exactly where she needed him to be, it wasn’t enough though, she needed to feel him closer. She had to feel him more, she just had to. 

Hux chuckled darkly, her reactions were just too precious, he had hardly done anything to her yet and she was already purring like a kitten in his lap. He hadn’t even scratched the surface of the long mental list of what he had planned to do to her once she was ready. 

She whined in protest when he removed his hand making him chuckle again. “Don’t worry, my little rebel, I’m not done with you yet.” He spun her around so her back was pressed into his chest legs straddling his knee. 

He slid his hands down her waist to her inner thighs enjoying the way she squirmed anticipating his touch and resting her head down on his shoulder, exposing her luscious golden skin. 

He faintly brushed his fingers across her clit making her hips buck. “Do you want me to touch you, Rose?” He asked, his tone generating a whole new endearing quality as if he was addressing an impatient child. She mewled again at his teasing fingers. 

He bit down gently on her neck producing a whimpering shudder. Hux breathed out hotly against her neck wishing to already devour this beautiful little kitten, but he had to wait, to remain in control and make her feel like it was her choice. 

“Then unbuckle your trousers, little varmint.” His voice assumed the commanding tone he reserved only for her. Carefully controlling her with his strong authoritative and confident voice. 

He knew he had gone too fast when her back tensed against his chest making him suppress a frustrated huff, something was stopping her, some intangible reason was making her stubbornly dig her heels in the ground. He would have to continue more delicately this time.

Hux nipped at the skin behind her ear. “It’s ok, my darling. I’m here to take care of you.” 

He lightly teased her clit, moving away when she tried to rock her hips against his fingers involuntarily again. Whimpering in frustration her legs quivered at the maddening touch. 

“You must do as I ask, little rebel.” Hux said in a mockingly sympathetic tone as he maneuvered her knee over his other leg and spread them, parting her legs to give himself more room to tease her warm quivering pussy. She cried out and rocked again. 

“Do it.” He commanded huskily, not knowing how much more he could take of his little rebel grinding against his cock before he came in his pants. 

Slowly as if under a trance, she tentatively brought her hands up to her waist bringing up the hem of her uniform to expose the buttons for her trousers. Hux watched greedily as she unbuttoned the top one painstakingly slow and kissed her neck to keep himself from hurrying up the process, she needed to do this herself. She had to feel in control. 

After the second button, Hux could see the waistband of her standard issue panties and bit down on her neck to keep himself away, it wasn’t enough to leave a bruise, suckling the skin he drank in her irresistible golden skin. 

She moaned, pausing her work and closed her eyes. Shame started to burn up inside her, she shouldn’t be doing this. She wasn’t ready, she couldn’t allow herself to be. Hux was her enemy. 

An impatient frustrated growl brought her out of her guilt filled thoughts as Hux reached down and in what seemed like an instant had her trousers deftly unbuttoned and was covering her panties with his palm. Holding her in place with his other arm around her waist already anticipating it when she recoiled in surprise and tried to squirm out of his grasp.

He groaned at how her wetness was already soaking through her panties but remained perfectly still. Only when her squirming subsided, he forced himself to only work his fingers lightly against her clit again and soon had her squirming and moaning trying to buck against his teasing fingers once again. 

“Say you want me.” Hux commanded coldly in a low and husky voice. 

“I-I’m not-” “Say it!” He almost barked and groaned when she rocked her hips again still keeping his fingers too far for her to feel satisfied. Rose’s brain felt like jelly from all Hux’s incessant teasing, devilishly clever fingers. 

“I-I w-want-” That was all Hux needed as he slid her panties aside and inserted his fingers into her wet folds immediately soaking his gloved fingers in her slick wetness. “Kriff Rose, you’re so wet.” Hux whispered huskily as his office was filled with the squelching sounds coming from her sopping wet clit and her soft mewling whimpers.

“H-Hux-” “Armitage.” He ground out correcting her and groaned when her groping hands reached his hair grabbing fistfuls desperate for something to cling to, something to keep her grounded. 

“Armitage, I d-don’t think we s-should d-do this.” She let out a shuddering hiss as his fingers found her sensitive bead and traced around it before mercilessly picking up the pace making her drop her head on his shoulder letting out a loud moan. Her mind went blank wishing and pleading for strength to say no to his wickedly expert fingers playing with her body so easily. 

“And why is that?” Hux chuckled. Rose frowned in confusion trying to remember what they were even talking about. He dipped his head and licked her neck before placing a trail of wet kisses curiously watching her chest heave with hot and heavy breaths.

She wracked her brain for a reason, anything so he would stop so she could have some space to gather her resolve. “W-What if someone c-come in?” Another dark chuckle reverberated through his chest. 

“Well, I suppose we will give them a little show, won’t we?” In truth, Hux always kept his office door locked but he enjoyed the blush that crept up to her already flushed cheeks.

He suppressed a heady growl as he slid the hand from her waist up to her chin brushing heavy handed over her peaked but supple breasts. 

He lifted her chin trapping her lips in his as his fingers trailed to her tight, almost too tight little cunt. 

He pulled away to gaze into her eyes right before he inserted a finger into her up to the first knuckle and absentmindedly registered how tight and small she actually was cataloging that piece of information that he would later ponder. He knew instantly that he went too fast when her eyes instantly widened in alarm.

He pulled out quickly and stilled as the room went silent. “Hux, Armitage, I can’t do this.” She murmured and looked away in shame, moving her chin out of his grasp.

Hux let out an aggravated huff and rested his head back glaring up at the ceiling, he couldn’t help his fingers from twitching to rub against her clit one last time, she was so wet, so perfect, he couldn’t resist he could hear her slick sounds around his fingers. Her body was ready to take him, craving him but it was her stubborn karking will which he normally immensely enjoyed that was stopping her. It was probably some stupid karking little reason that was stopping her and once he found out what it was, he would eradicate every one of her trivial little concerns. 

Her hand wrapping around his wrist pulling his uncooperating hand out of her pants brought him back making him realize with a grimace that he had to wait again. Would he have the control to wait for her to be ready? She had the knack for turning him into an undisciplined impatient mess. 

Hux slouched dejectedly as she stood up muttering a string of sounds that could quite possibly be words. He was too distracted to register what she was saying as he gazed down at his leather gloved fingers in a trance. They were glistening with her slick practically shimmering brilliantly under the fluorescent light. 

He couldn’t help himself as his hand moved on its own accord to his mouth and he stuck his fingers into his mouth sucking her slick juices off of them. He closed his eyes as a groan built deep in his throat at the taste. She tasted so good, salty, sweet, musky, and something so unique to his Rose, better than he could ever imagine her to taste like. He began to regret tasting her, she was irresistible enough not knowing she was this good.

Stars, he sounded like a sex depraved teenager, she would be the death of him. 

He quickly pulled his fingers out of his mouth and feigned resting his head on his knuckles when she turned around sharply, worry written across her face concerned that he hadn’t answered her yet. He only then started registering what she was actually saying. 

“I really am sorry, Hux, I shouldn’t have gone that far.” She muttered heat coloring her cheeks. 

Hux glared up at her, what was this foolish woman thinking? It hadn’t been two minutes and she was already blaming herself for what happened? It was most definitely not her fault and it was most definitely not something either of them should be sorry for doing. 

They both obviously wanted each other. And it wasn’t an unfortunate accident that they had both managed to forget their differences for a moment and enjoyed each other's touch, it was beautiful. Hux had played her almost to perfection, she had no reason to feel sorry for anything.

And it irritated him that she so much as thought that she had to apologize to him for anything.

He stood up quickly and caught her arms before she could back away and lifted her onto his desk closing up the space between her legs and wrapping her up in a hug. 

“Never ever apologize to me, Rose. It is not necessary.” He kissed the top of her head before pulling away and lifting her chin to meet his stern gaze. “Understood?” 

His pale face was a stark reminder of what had just happened and she looked away ashamed that she had gone so far with her captor. Even though she knew he would let her go soon after she tells him how much she hates it here and wouldn’t be able to make it work despite her greatest efforts, she should not be doing any of that. No matter how her body responded to him.

Hux caught her chin and narrowed his steely green gaze when her eyes met his. “Tell me you understand.” His tone assumed it’s commanding tone as he tested the waters. He needed to know she wasn’t angry or upset over what happened, she must never fear him nor his touch. 

Rose pulled away and buried her face in his chest still burning with embarrassment. “I understand.” Her voice was muffled by his greatcoat. 

Hux smirked above her and wrapped his arms around her stroking her hair, purring. “There’s my beautiful little varmint.” She sighed and sagged her shoulders into the embrace. 

Rose didn’t know what it was but something about Hux’s firm but gentle touch, his authoritative and confident voice managed to relax her and made her feel safe. It was like he had the whole galaxy under his thumb and could put an end to the war and all the endless bloodshed. It was the way he kept his cold and calm composer that gave her the hope that he could make sense of her world, bringing order to it. 

Hux pulled her away from his chest searching her face he relaxed when he saw calmness and the last fading vestiges of fear, regret, and embarrassment. “You see, Rose, there is no reason to fear me. I care for you very much, and nothing you could do could ever change that.” He explained affectionately lifting her chin, his tone carried a hint of endearment as if he was chiding a child for not understanding something so simple. 

When she nodded chewing her lip Hux smiled, feeling overwhelming pride for her. “Now will you kiss me?” He asked watching her beautiful dark soulful eyes glance up at him and down to his lips briefly. 

She regarded him warily but Hux could see longing buried deep down inside her tearing up her deeply rooted principles and ingrained loyalties. Once she broke free of her trivial little ideals and morals, she would be one more step to being tamed, to becoming more refined and perfected. He would help tear her down and build her into his own little First Order Rose. 

She looked up at him with resolve having won some internal conflict and tilted her chin up to him parting her lips. He didn’t move making her close the distance between them herself, it was both terrifying and comforting when he did that. It afforded her time to back away if she grew anxious and lost her nerve to touch him. 

When she pulled away after brushing her lips against his, Hux gave her an almost disappointed look making her feel irrationally sad, for some reason, she wanted to please him, to wipe that sad look off his face. She closed the distance again and pressed her lips against his a little harder, feeling him smile against her as he responded to the kiss. 

When she nipped at his lower lip, Hux responded with a pleased hum and opened allowing her to take control and explore him. Rose faltered for a split second when she tasted something on his tongue that wasn’t there before. Sweet and musky. 

With Rose feeling more control over their pace, she didn’t seem to mind when Hux’s hands started to roam down her back to rest on her thighs again. He felt a self satisfied pride surge inside him, he was so close to understanding her, to being able to control her body, to taking her for his own.

When he found her trousers still open, he pulled away with a groan and assaulted her neck with hot kisses, feeling his control slipping again. He felt the desire to feel her, to pleasure her, coaxing her body into craving him as badly as he wanted her.

His hand roamed across her stomach before slipping down into her panties to ghost over her clit. Hux felt her stiffen under him again and cursed himself for going too quickly. She was far too irresistible to play this little game. 

“You’re doing so well, little varmint, calm down, it’s ok.” He purred huskily. 

Gazing down at her greedily he took in every detail of her, her rounded cheeks tinged pink from arousal, her deep black pools of warm hazel eyes he always managed to lose himself in, the way her full luscious and slightly swollen lips moved pronouncing her words in that adorable naive and unguarded way- Hux shook his head, she was saying something what was it?

He tilted his head as fingers twitched into her wet, juicy fold making her gasp and flush as he curiously observed her reaction with clinical interest. 

Honestly, Hux didn’t really care what she was saying, he wanted her, no he needed her. Hux twitched his fingers again brushing her sensitive part with his thumb positioning his other digits over her tight pussy with eyes darkening, he had to have her. 

Rose twitched away again looking away blushing furiously, “Hux, I’m not-” “Look at me, Rose.” He ordered sharply and gently gripped her neck to steady her for what he was going to do lifting her chin with his thumb.

As soon as she met his gaze, Hux inserted a finger inside of her all the way down to the knuckle cursing under his breath at how tight she was. Her eyes widened and darkened with desire instantly but as soon as she got over her shock she pushed his chest roughly, Hux was ready and held her tightly to himself. Burying her face in his greatcoat, he started to pump his finger in and out of her. 

As soon as he started, all her fight left her and she moaned against his fingers involuntarily rocking her hips. 

When he felt her relax into him, Hux loosened his grip on her petting her hair instead he was so proud of his little rebel for being so brave and not spitting or trying to bite him. “You’re doing so well, my darling.” 

He twisted his fingers inside her making her moan into his greatcoat. “You’re so kriffing tight.” Hux muttered to himself as her pussy clenched around his finger inside her. 

The office was once again filled with the squelching sound of her slick pussy mixed with heavy breaths, gasps and moans. 

“H-Hux?” “Lie down, my darling.” Hux ignored her query, guiding her down to lay on his desk as he leaned over her capturing her lips in his as he twisted his finger inside her. The new angle allowed him more depth inside her as he pumped faster feeling her muscles starting to clench around him already. She was so close. 

“A-Armitage I-I….urgh..” Hux smirked as he twisted his fingers again. “Yes, love? I’m listening.” He chuckled. 

“I-I..” “Speak in plain basic, darling.” He chided, taunting her, thoroughly enjoying this much control over her body, she was like a doll in his hands mewling and bleating like a little kitten. 

“I-I c-can’t talk like t-this...ugh..” She groaned again when his thumb found her clit and mercilessly worked, rubbing against it as he pumped faster. She was so close…

Hux chuckled and let up the smallest fraction allowing her some repose from the intensity. “It can’t possibly be that difficult to speak coherently, varmint.” He teased. 

“I’m, kriff, I’m not...kriff!” Hux suppressed a growl at her foul mouth and squeezed a second finger inside her, picking up the pace again mercilessly ignoring her whimpering cries. He inwardly wished she would do something else that he could punish her for. 

“Language.” He snarled feeling her cunt clenching tightly around his fingers. She was so close. He growled and grabbed a fistful of her uniform pulling her up to his chest effortlessly. 

He swiftly wrapped his arm around her head and brushed his forefinger over her bottom lip. “Bite.” He ordered cooly.

When she obliged, Hux groaned and tucked her head into his chest. “Now cum, my little angel.” He rested his chin on top of her head feeling her whole body practically vibrating as he twisted and pumped before he felt her pussy quiver and flood his gloved fingers with her juices. 

Her muffled screams filled his office as she climaxed and she bit down harder, shuddering into his chest as he held her close. Slowly pumping his fingers in her inside her he helped her ride out her orgasm juice dripping onto his desk small hands clinging desperately to the lapels of his greatcoat. 

Hux pulled away and smirked down at her as she slowly unclenched her jaw. A line of drool connected his finger to her lips glistening with drool as she looked up at him sheepishly, Hux didn’t think she could possibly look more beautiful in that moment, messy hair, flushed cheeks and sweat glistening off her golden skin. He moved his finger back to her mouth and wormed his fingers inside where they belonged. 

A groan got stuck in his throat at how moist and soft her tongue felt against his fingers, his eyes burned down at her hungrily. After a moment she pulled away and dipped her head unlatching her tiny hands from his greatcoat. 

“I can’t do this, Hux.” She murmured and flinched when he let out a frustrated huff tickling the hairs at the back of her neck. 

He pulled his fingers out of her with an involuntary groan at how unbelievably slick she was, she was practically dripping with cum. He could even feel a wet spot on his chest from when she had drooled all over him during her orgasm, how could she possibly say she didn’t want this? 

She watched as he flopped down on his chair watching her hungrily and slouching his shoulders slightly, the only sign of his inner torment. Her cheeks flushed in mortification when he brought his hand up, her slick juices glistening off the black leather his eyes lingered almost hypnotized by it.

“Will you ever be ready, Rose?” Hux asked, before meeting her eyes with his heated, driven eyes glinting almost like starkiller but filled with primal need. 

Bringing his fingers to his mouth and closing his lips around them he resisted the urge to close his eyes and instead, he blatantly scrutinized her observing and cataloging her every reaction. 

Rose was mortified at the sight of Hux ravenously lapping up her juices like a popsicle glowering at her, devouring her hungrily. She stood up and quickly buttoned up her trousers avoiding his cold burning gaze shamelessly watching her get dressed. 

All of this, what just happened, was too overwhelming, she needed time and space to think, to gather up her resolve and willpower. It all happened too fast, Hux had managed to play her body like he would have played a game of Dejarik and she didn’t even know what to think of it. 

Rose made to scurry out of his office but was stopped at the door by his voice. 

“Rose.” Hux called cooly. When she turned to face him, still not meeting his gaze, he sighed and dropped his hand away from his face and crossed his legs elegantly, face impassive. 

“Do you remember, when you were on your knees before me on my ship and you dropped your necklace?” Hux asked as he folded his hands in his lap gracefully, looking ever like the perfect general conducting standard First Order business.

Rose grimaced and nodded, she hated that day, it gave her nightmares. 

At that, Hux continued. “Do you remember what I told you?” 

“You said that I may draw blood with a bite, but you will always win.” She said quietly clutching her arm feeling his piercing eyes on her and feeling uncomfortable and a little fearful of him both because of his behavior and what she remembered of him on the Supremacy.

“Precisely.” Hux practically purred in approval. “I do not know yet what obstacle is keeping you from being with me, but I will find out and I will take you soon, little varmint.” He stood up slowly and leaned his palms over his desk. “You may draw my blood with your feral little bites now and then, but I will always win.” His eyes flashed brilliantly like cold steel.


End file.
